Iraq demands clear timeline for U.S. withdrawal

Monday 11th August, 07:00 AM JST

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TRUTHxHURTS at 08:51 AM JST - 12th August

It's ２００８-- I would have voted for McCain 8 years ago. He has my respect for being a veteran. George "OIL BOY" Bush Junior should have never been president. But things have changed for the WORSE. Our country is not strong right now. The Commander and Chief right now is doing a terrible job. You voted for this clown. Drink some coffee and wake up !!!! You can vote for your man Johhny M. But Johhny M. has been in the poltical eye for 26 years and hasn't done scratch. USA is loosing Manufacturing JOBS. U.S. WORKERS are loosing jobs to foreign markets. Do your homework first. Unemployment is getting worse. Our dependency for OIL is riduculous. We need to move on. We need to develop technology for ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILES. McCain's a OIL MAN. Sorry !!! But it is the truth. We will go down the tubes further if we vote for your man. And not all Black people will vote for Obama . It is not in the bag.
undecidedbout08 at 09:11 AM JST - 12th August

I would have voted for McCain 8 years ago.

Canadians can't vote in US elections. It's not like buying smokes or going south for quality medical treatment.
skipthesong at 09:27 AM JST - 12th August

sarge: Let it go man. If you are right, you will be able to tell everyone I told you so.
SezWho2 at 09:37 AM JST - 12th August

sailwind,

Whether the surge made that happen, whether something else made that happen--all of that is irrelevant to what the Iraqis want now.
SezWho2 at 09:53 AM JST - 12th August

AlliedForces,

I think your question as to how our economy can be shrinking if we have 1% growth is a side issue. But if you'd like an opinion as to how this can happen, you might give this a read:

http://peakwatch.typepad.com/OurPhonyEconomy.pdf

The real issue, of course, is whether we can afford (in blood and bills) to stay in Iraq in order to promote a somewhat vague freedom and democracy agenda. America has been successful when it has thwarted those who have attacked us. We have been far less successful in terms of promoting regime change. There is simply no reason to believe that--absent a long-term commitment to Iraq--that our vision of freedom and democracy will materialize in a country with a vast Shiite majority, with a disgruntled Sunni minority and an independence-seeking, oil-draining Kurdish contingent.

But it seems that the Iraqis do not want that. We have already won what there is to win in Iraq with the exception of the right to establish permanent bases there. The Iraqis are asking us to leave, which we said we would do when asked.
SezWho2 at 09:55 AM JST - 12th August

WhiteHawk,

Maybe you should be more impressed that Iraq has not asked Iran for a clear timeline for withdrawal.
SezWho2 at 10:04 AM JST - 12th August

undecidebout08,

I don't think that Hitchens has been the darling of anybody's left for at least 20 years. It's true that he doesn't believe that God is great (as if that would make someone a leftist) but he supported the Iraq War. This is not a reversal.
skipthesong at 10:46 AM JST - 12th August

We have been far less successful in terms of promoting regime change" damn good point!

Maybe you should be more impressed that Iraq has not asked Iran for a clear timeline for withdrawal." Are you saying Iran is there?
adaydream at 01:21 PM JST - 12th August

WhiteHawk - So you're admitting that I'm right about Iran's meddling and that you can't prove that Iraq invited those Iranian terrorists into the country?

You're right WhiteHawk. I totally agree that you are right. Chalk that up.

Hmmm, I don't remember the Iraqis inviting the United States into Iraq to destroy a whole nation.

But they're telling us to "GO HOME!!"

I don't remember the Iraqis inviting the United States into Iraq to destroy damns, power plants or factories.

But they are sure telling the United States to "GET THE HELL OUT!!"

No I don't remember when Iraq invited the United States into Iraq to attack a sovern nation and allow it's national treasures to be looted and stolen right out of the museums.

But, I do believe that I heard that Al-Maliki has told the United States to "GET THEIR TOYS AND GO HOME!!!!!" They want a timeline and that's the truth, too. < :-)
SezWho2 at 01:40 PM JST - 12th August

skipthesong,

I am saying that whether Iran is there or not, Iraq hasn't expressed enough concern about their presence to ask them to leave. And perhaps that should tell us something about the extent of the Iranian presence.
skipthesong at 01:56 PM JST - 12th August

Well, I think after it is all over, Iran will be thanking the US for getting rid of Saddam and allowing them free access into Iraq.

I think they owe a bit of gratitude.
smithinjapan at 04:01 PM JST - 12th August

sarge: you didn't answer my question, nor the direct questions of any poster on here who points out the facts to you (which is about 99% of all posters -- all the other 'posters' are the same person with new handles).

Which is it, sarge, you agree to the definite withdrawal of all troops by the deadline Iraq wants, as is Obama's campaign promise, or you disagree that Iraq is a free and democratic country and needs the US to be a dictator over what it 'really wants' (ie. US is the dictator and REAL government). Which is it? Hell, even bush is for a withdrawal, so are you suddenly anti-bush, too?

So sarge: Agree with Obama and a democratic government in Iraq and troop withdrawal? or agree with McCain and the 'need' for troops to stay indefinitely, and that Iraq is not capable of its own decisions (hence, not free and/or democratic).
McNeoCon at 09:26 PM JST - 12th August

Canadians can't vote in US elections. It's not like buying smokes or going south for quality medical treatment.

Hahahaha!! so funny and so on topic. I dont now where my message went but I am proud american when I see u putting canadians in there place:!
Sarge at 11:40 PM JST - 12th August

Smith - Yeah, Obama and the Iraqi politicians who, behind the walls of the Green Zone, which is guarded by U.S. soldiers, say they want the U.S. troops out as soon as possible, are right. I'm sure that the sooner all U.S. troops are out, the sooner peace will return to Iraq, maybe not the kind of blissful peace that Iraq enjoyed under Saddam, but peace nonetheless.
zurcronium at 10:13 AM JST - 17th August

searing analysis of the total and complete failure that is the bush invasion of Iraq by a ex-Army officer and now Professor.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08152008/profile2.html

In an article of the The American Conservative dated March 24, 2008, Bacevich depicts Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as the best choice for conservatives in the fall. Part of his argument includes the fact that "this liberal Democrat has promised to end the U.S. combat role in Iraq. Contained within that promise, if fulfilled, lies some modest prospect of a conservative revival." [4] He also goes on to mention that "For conservatives to hope the election of yet another Republican will set things right is surely in vain. To believe that President John McCain will reduce the scope and intrusiveness of federal authority, cut the imperial presidency down to size, and put the government on a pay-as-you-go basis is to succumb to a great delusion." [4]

This will go beond the scope of the spoon fed wingers who are still holding out that the invasion was anything other than a complete failure. But anyone outside of the hopeless partisian loser crowd will be amazed by the insight of this author. Who by the way lost his son in Iraq to a suicide bomber.