Army Times complains about the "lip service" Bush is giving the troops:

In recent months, President Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress have missed no opportunity to heap richly deserved praise on the military. But talk is cheap — and getting cheaper by the day, judging from the nickel-and-dime treatment the troops are getting lately.

For example, the White House griped that various pay-and-benefits incentives added to the 2004 defense budget by Congress are wasteful and unnecessary — including a modest proposal to double the $6,000 gratuity paid to families of troops who die on active duty. This comes at a time when Americans continue to die in Iraq at a rate of about one a day.

Similarly, the administration announced that on Oct. 1 it wants to roll back recent modest increases in monthly imminent-danger pay (from $225 to $150) and family-separation allowance (from $250 to $100) for troops getting shot at in combat zones.

Then there’s military tax relief — or the lack thereof....

You get the picture. So do the troops and their families, particularly as the death toll of U.S. soldiers in Iraq has now exceeded 200.

[Ed. Note:] We mentioned the Army Times editorial yesterday, having found it on Daily Kos, but we thought it was subscription only so we didn't link to it. It turns out anyone can read it.