I will second what belinda said. It is definately the case. What happens is, they are cleared, but during the time it is being reviewed by the embassy, it goes back in AP. I honestly had this happen 2 times and I was devastated and lost the first time. I wondered to myself, why me? When most people get their visas upon call from embassy, my husband got another stamp that said "additional administrative processing" he was given his passport back and marriage certificate as well. Ok, I thought to myself, this is just evil..haha you know how it hurts to lose all that excitement you had mustered up. Actually nothing can make this process faster except the prayers to God Almighty and patience. If we can just accept the wait, thats what it is. You know how they say, time flies when you're having a good time? ya..we're NOT having a good time..so it feels like bloody hell. So what can we do? We can understand that this IS an ongoing process UNITL the checks come out clear. DOS lady said this, that the checks have to come out all clear. Now what I thought immediately after that is, theres so many people being added everyday, how CAN they be cleared, ever? Well, I still don't have an answer to that, but it is seen that people are getting their visas, MENA members are pretty much all cleared except a few, so there IS progress. Basically on January my husband was called to submit passport, and then no word for a few weeks, i called dos to find he was back on checks, then 2 months later, they called back, this time I was a bit confident that it was something good, maybe not visa but at least saying ya checks are done we're reviewing...but it turned out to be that they told him that they need more time. Ya call a guy back to say they need more time...Imagine if he had to travel to a different country to hear this. I pray Belinda's husband gets this cleared soon, he has had quite a hardship...traveling, expenses, time, I really wish from the bottom of my heart he would get his visa. It's been way too long. May will mark my 8th month and I pray something happens. For you honey, I pray that things will be all right, that in the coming months you case will be cleared. Nutty too, I am praying for her.
We all just have to hold tight and stick it out because theres no use thanking God AFTER the fact. So lets be grateful for what we have, not get too hurt over the multiple AP's and I think we will all make it and will learn from this experience. There IS an end. God willing, our SO's will get their visas in the coming days and weeks and months and we can share stories of our days.
In the end, only God can save us.
Tammy
This could be what's happening. Security checks expire as well, and they have to wait for ALL of them to be clear and not expired at the same time. Sometimes this and the amount of time it takes to clear name hits are the reasons for the long AP.... sometimes.... other times it's just the embassy being idiots 
nothing like getting your hopes up and having them crush it! I am sure it will be just a matter of time before it's issued!
