“Let me say this as plainly as I can: By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end,” he said. “I intend to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.”
Keeping U.S. troops in Iraq after the departure deadline would require accord of Iraq’s deeply divided government. The Iraqis have not made a formal request for U.S. troops to stay. The White House is prepared to keep as many as 10,000 U.S. troops in Iraq after the end of the year, amid growing concern that the planned pullout of virtually all remaining American forces would lead to intensified militant attacks, according to U.S. officials.
Keeping troops in Iraq after the deadline for their departure at the end of December would require agreement of Iraq’s deeply divided government, which is far from certain. The Iraqis so far have not made a formal request for U.S. troops to remain, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. Some powerful Iraqi political forces are staunchly opposed to a continued U.S. presence.
The Obama administration has been debating how large a force to propose leaving in Iraq. It made its proposal now in hopes of spurring a request from Prime Minister Nouri Maliki’s government, and to give the Pentagon time to plan, the officials said.
The troops would be based around Baghdad and in a small number of other strategic locations around the country, the officials said.
Noting that Iraq had not asked yet for troops to stay, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said: “There’s only so much time here available for the Iraqi government to make such a request. If they do, we will consider it. Otherwise, we are keeping on schedule.”
Of course we all knew this would happen, it would be silly to think otherwise.
& you thought we were outta theres?
Our boots be deeper in the quagmires
now than they ever weres
To those who blame Bush. Yes he did a great many things wrong but now Obama has been elected President. A job Obama ran for and now we are seeing exactly how good he is at doing that job and at keeping his promises.
On the whole, and I never expected to say this, he’s doing much worse than Bush in just about every way you can name. Lier, Lier, lier, pants on fire doesn’t even begin to give credit for lies told to this President.
I want the President to get our people out of Iraq and Afghanistan and stop staring wars!I want him to at least make a half hearted effort to try and bring our run away spending under control.
Not send a budget to Congress so bad that even his own party won’t touch it with a stick then go play golf saying it is up to Congress to resolve! Bill Clinton was ten times the President this disaster is.
Yes I know I’m one of those conservative/libertarians that Dallas likes to blame wars on only his nut case President seems to be the crazy war monger!
He also doesn’t seem to get one the most basic rules relating to war. You don’t fight a war on two fronts if you can help it and if you start a third you are out of your freaking mind!
My data suggest John D. is right and this nut case is working on getting us involved in Syria without getting us out of anywhere else!
#22–its a pure delight to see do-ill get up on his high horse. What a goof. What got your motor running===specifically?
But such a long passionate post. Should be fun to parse?:
To those who blame Bush. Yes he did a great many things wrong but now Obama has been elected President. A job Obama ran for and now we are seeing exactly how good he is at doing that job and at keeping his promises. /// Ok, nothing there. Just warming up.
On the whole, and I never expected to say this, he’s doing much worse than Bush in just about every way you can name. //// Oh good, lets see the names.
Lier, Lier, lier, pants on fire doesn’t even begin to give credit for lies told to this President. /// Lies that took us to war? Lies that brought on the biggest recession in our history? or Lies the result of being blocked by the Pukes? Which lies? Hopefully the details will follow.
I want the President to get our people out of Iraq and Afghanistan and stop staring wars! /// Close enough. I agree. but hard here to see much daylight between Bush and Obama on his Commander in Chief Role other than he got Obama after Bush gave up. Iraq would almost be “tolerable” if Afghanistan hadn’t been taken on voluntarily. Agreed==Time to bring the troops home.
I want him to at least make a half hearted effort to try and bring our run away spending under control. //// Many economic experts say he hasn’t spent enough and “everyone” agrees the stimulus was totally corrupted by acquiescence to the pork and tax reductions mandated by the Pukes in the Main with Dumbos close behind.
Not send a budget to Congress so bad that even his own party won’t touch it /// that was addressed just recently. Still vague with me. I put it up to divided government and the Dumbo’s afraid to be mocked by the Pukes. Dumbo’s are famous for having no spine. Sad. 75-80% of voters want the rich to pay their fair share. Dumbo’s afraid to make a stand with only 80% support. Ha, ha.
with a stick then go play golf saying it is up to Congress to resolve! /// and it is.
Bill Clinton was ten times the President this disaster is. /// I’d give it a 5 given the equation doesn’t mean a thing.
Yes I know I’m one of those conservative/libertarians that Dallas likes to blame wars on only his nut case President seems to be the crazy war monger! /// Demonstrably–he’s not as crazy as Bush was AND as the Neo-Con’s still are: still recommending WAR on everyone we have issues with–until Obama takes action. Of course, THOSE actions are the mark of a socialist/markist/communist/muslim white man hating “crazy” war monger.
He also doesn’t seem to get one the most basic rules relating to war. You don’t fight a war on two fronts if you can help it and if you start a third you are out of your freaking mind! /// These aren’t real wars. The rule about two fronts doens’t apply. These are foreign “adventures.” Have you no judgment at all?
My data suggest John D. is right and this nut case is working on getting us involved in Syria without getting us out of anywhere else! /// Well, that would be bad. We should pull our troops out of everywhere and use black ops with threat of invasion instead. Black mail the world. Silly for a world power with our military not to go totally corrupt.
#20 I know it stings but I’m just stating the two simple facts. You get to draw your own conclusions (opinion) but you know what they say about opinions.
The facts associated with the two statements made are indisputable.
war is a racket
war attracts racketeers to our government offices
Hey, maybe Obama will get ANOTHER Nobel Peace Prize!!
O. B. A. M. A.
OH! What a -
Big
Ass
Mistake
America!!
Let’s face it. We have become that abusive relationship from which there is no escape.
And don’t think for a second that these politicians don’t know what effect bringing home the troops will have on unemployment. A fact that likely has a little something to do with all of this.
# 9 Dallas said, “Proof:
1. Combat mission in Iraq has indeed ended”
Hmmm. The mission is over but combat troops are still there and still dying.
Orwell’s Newspeak in action.
Personally, I do believe our Nobel prize winning peace prez will pull lots of troops out of Iraq.
He’ll need them for Libya and Iran and Sudan and … Mexico???
Speaking of Newspeak – has anyone else been laughing their head off at the scientists explaining the lack of actual global warming is due to (I kid thee not) anthropogenic global cooling!
Seems all those nasty Asians have been burning lots of coal and stuff but THEIR industrialization seems to produce sulphur instead of carbon dioxide! Sulphur, of course, cause cooling!
Excuse me. I laughed so hard I gotta go change my undies.
Editor: I would urge a post on this topic. Would be a lot of fun to see the pro-AGWers claw their way out
Animby–AGC huh? First I’ve heard of that. Got a link. Whether “true” or not (I doubt it) it wouldn’t be an example of Newspeak but rather a change in the variables all being fit into the models you don’t support to begin with.
What is THAT called? ((Read in the voice of the Church Lady: Isn’t that convenient?))
# 19 Ah_Yea said:
“How are you liking… Bush’s 3rd term??”
About as much as I’m going to like Bush’s 4th term.
Maybe we can be at war with Iran, Russia and China by the time this guy is done.
We are not at war in Iraq.
To Boobo in #30 – A link? Sure. I went to Google news and searched the term “anthropogenic global cooling.” The first non=blog article that popped up (of many) is a Reuters story: http://bit.ly/mVGtHU
The article is full of scientifics grasping for straws. This is only a temporary reprieve. Someday we’ll stop polluting and THEN you’ll see some warming!!!
The point is this: they admit there has not been any real change in global temps since 1998. They claim we’re still pouring CO2 into the air – even more than before – but the sulphur is protecting us – for now.
And, if it’s not the sulphur, then it’s El Nino and if not The Baby then there’s something else hiding the truth. I think the scientifics are hiding the truth and the truth is: they have no f-ing idea what’s going on.
Actually, to put this slightly back on topic, I think Obama has cured AGW. All the dust in the air from bombing Tripoli and others must be reflecting sunlight and cooling things down. So, get ready Iran – here we come! We don’t want to, but it’s for the good of the world.
Animby, I’m just not getting the link between troops in Iraq and global warming.
#28 With your goofed definition, we are at war today with Japan.
#30, bobbo,
The cement heads that continue to invent their own facts will never accept that climate change is happening. This “Global Cooling” charge is as full of bull as every other denial argument.
And as is typical, denialists love to change the topic to demonstrate their lack of convincing arguments.
Obama hasn’t lived up to his promise. He has reduced the number of troops in Iraq and withdrawn them from active involvement. In my opinion, that is far, far better than McCain’s intent to remain in Iraq for 100 years.
http://tinyurl.com/3cwgkge
Fusion – there is nothing as sad as trying to defend your corrupt president by saying the other guy would have been worse.
That is pathetic.
100 years or not, I’ll wager we will be in Iraq long after this fucker moves on.
Jonesy, there is nothing quite as sad as bitching about a situation that is far better today than it was on Jan 20 2009. How pathetic.
And never forget who put us into Iraq 150,000 strong, 3,500 dead, 20,000 casualties, $1 trillion, for no damned reason at all.
The guy who gets us out of that mess should be commended. The guy who put us there should be in jail.
Am I missing something? Doesn’t the last sentence state “we are staying on schedule”, meaning troops out after 2011?
Some of you are just looking for something to bitch about. Congratulations on being part of the political problem in this country.