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Iraq Gov't: US Troops Out By 2010

By Big Tent Democrat, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 09:43:13 AM EST
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Maliki government refines its position:

Iraq's government spokesman is hopeful that U.S. combat forces could be out of the country by 2010. Ali al-Dabbagh made the comments following a meeting in Baghdad on Monday between Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama, who arrived in Iraq earlier in the day. The timeframe is similar to Obama's proposal to pull back combat troops within 16 months.

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    Iraq Gov't: US Troops Out By 2010 | 34 comments (34 topical)

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    We could leave next week then (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by Dadler on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:09:13 AM EST
    But we won't.  We are going to force ourselves on Iraq as we always have.  The answer is for Obama to trump even Maliki and say we should be out sooner than that.  Truth is, we should leave ASAP, as in tomorrow, but that wouldr require respecting Iraq's right to forge its own future, and we are as opposed to that as much as we're opposed to Al Qaeda.  

    Bush was famously fuzzy (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by madamab on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:47:04 AM EST
    on the meaning of the word "sovereignty."

    No matter what we do in Iraq, it's going to be bad at this point. Might as well declare victory and go home.

    Parent

    Logistical Nightmare (none / 0) (#30)
    by salema1017 on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 02:28:17 PM EST
    The problem is it just isn't realistic to say "Troops out of Iraq next week"

    Obama can most certainly say he will begin withdrawing troops and halting combat operations when he enters office, but logistically speaking it will take a least 16 months to safely withdraw American troops and resources from Iraq.

    I was not even a Hillary supporter during the primaries but she had a much more realistic understanding of the logistical nightmare that is withdrawing from Iraq and it will take time, which is why we should START as soon as possible.

    Parent

    McCain Consultant "We're F*cked" (5.00 / 2) (#31)
    by john horse on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 02:38:35 PM EST
    I just love the response from one of McCain's consultant to Maliki's endorsement of Obama's withdrawal plan - "We're f*cked."

    Game, set, match.  This war will be over by the end of 2010.  Obama was right.  

    As Spencer Acker has pointed out there is nowhere left for McCain, Bush and the GOP to go.  Either they support the timetable for withdrawal or they oppose the expressed wishes of the Iraqi government.  

    They Could Move TO The Left (none / 0) (#33)
    by squeaky on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:25:14 PM EST
    Of an Obama/Hillary ticket.  McCain/Snowe could lie their way into erstwhile progressives' hearts. Lucky that would never happen.

    Parent
    Go Maliki Go, It's your Birthday (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 09:22:24 AM EST
    Mine too!  What a press battle that's going on about this.  Too funny!  I was watching David Gergen really try to give Obama the once over last night for going to Iraq and making deals outside of the current Presidency.  What a JOKE!  The American people have been ignored by ALL of our leaders on our majority desires concerning Iraq until now.  The Repubs and the David Gergens can go ahead and have their meltdown because the only thing Obama has to answer to really is the people and right now he is doing the people's bidding and when he does that they will vote for him.

    The White House loses yet another (none / 0) (#1)
    by andgarden on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 09:47:07 AM EST
    battle with the Iraqi government.

    What other battles have we lost? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Truth Sayer on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:21:35 AM EST
    I can't think of any off hand.

    Anyway this pull out of Iraq thing is old news. The Iraqis have wanted us out since 2006 when a bunch or Parliamentarians voted to have us leave. And Sadar and others have wanted us out even before that so this is all nothing new.

    Maliki as of late was asking for a time table before he made his comments regarding Obama. Of course he didn't get a time table, instead he got a time horizon. And he won't get a time table from Obama either. The facts on the ground will dictate when we leave.

    Even recently an Obama adviser, Colin Kahl, who is Obama's day-to-day coordinator of the campaign's working group on Iraq, said we would probably have 60,000 to 80,000 troops there through the end of 2010 saying "the specific timelines should be the byproduct of negotiations and conditions on the ground".

    There is much that can happen between now and November, little on the first few months of a new presidency beginning in January '09. Even if Obama is elected he will do nothing of any significance regarding troop levels for 2-3 months at best. And besides we all know Bush will pull troops out before November and attribute that ability to the surge, which has to a great extent worked as McCain is saying the last couple of days. So depending on troop levels come January how many more and how fast could you pull out more? That will have to be determined at the time.

    As for Maliki, he is just being a politician and taking advantage of Obama's rhetoric. Maliki was already calling for a withdrawal and would have continued to with or without Obama.

    Iraqi economic realities, Iraqi military realities (which Maliki said were not yet ready), and Iraqi political realities are going to govern when we leave and nothing else. Even Maliki hedged yesterday and said 16 months was 'about right' with of course "adjustments" to that time frame.

    Lastly anyone who thinks Obama will stick to a hard timeline of 16 months has not been paying attention to how sound his word is on other issues. His track record is not all that good. But yet the faithful on the Left are having Christmas in July - only to set themselves up to be let down again. And the beat goes on.

    Parent

    "we"? (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by andgarden on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:23:54 AM EST
    You work for the White House?

    Parent
    Very funny - yuk yuk (none / 0) (#8)
    by Truth Sayer on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:44:57 AM EST
    I always love it when someone takes 'one word' and comments on it but then has nothing to say about the entire body of the post itself.

    What were those other battles the WH lost btw? I'm curious to what they were.

    Parent

    You think I'm going to waste my time (3.00 / 2) (#12)
    by andgarden on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:54:09 AM EST
    attempting to engage in a substantive debate with a Bush sycophant? Sorry.

    Parent
    Stop with the insults (1.00 / 1) (#18)
    by Truth Sayer on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:24:44 AM EST
    So I made a bad choice of words in my haste to post.  Wow I bet I'm the first to do that.

    I think I read somewhere on this blog in the past that you are in your early 20's. That means that I have been a Democrat, and activist, and worked on campaigns long before you were even born. So sorry if I won't take your taunt seriously.

    And of course you won't waste your time listing those WH loses that you mentioned. It's hard to list that which you do not know.

    Now if you want to discuss the issues or the substance of what I actually posted then fine. But if you want to go against the rules of this site and get into personal affronts no thank you.

    Parent

    White house loses (none / 0) (#21)
    by CST on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:32:23 AM EST
    Well I think they lost pretty badly on the decision to go to war.  They also lost on the decision to use torture.  They lost on "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq.  They lost control of the house and senate.  Hopefully they are about to lose the white house.

    Finally, what does being 20 have to do with whether or not someone is taken seriously?  Maybe you also don't take any of the 20 year old soldiers dying overseas seriously.

    Parent

    Right (none / 0) (#29)
    by flyerhawk on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 12:40:33 PM EST
    I don't know a lot of "Democrats" who would say ". But yet the faithful on the Left are having Christmas in July - only to set themselves up to be let down again. And the beat goes on."

    Parent
    The "We" Is Key To Your Spiel (2.00 / 1) (#11)
    by squeaky on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:53:13 AM EST
    And presumptuous, at best.

    Parent
    Gee, I thought "WE" THE PEOPLE (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by zfran on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:24:45 AM EST
    were supposed to be the government? "WE" might not always agree, buy we are still "WE."

    Parent
    LOTS can happen between now and November (none / 0) (#20)
    by JohnS on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:28:56 AM EST
    Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice...C'mon, this is Bush's Iraq pre-war campaign redux: first, put out fake intell about WMD,  then launch a propaganda campaign in the press, impose sanctions, pressure EU  to get on board, and cap it all off with phony 'talks' where we make the other side an offer we know they won't/can't accept (and we'll call it a 'choice') Well surprise! The US/Iran, nuclear talks turned out to be 'inconclusive': "Tehran must choose between cooperation or confrontation and give up sensitive nuclear work" sez us, while some EU spokesperson gives Iran 2 weeks to give a clear answer to our "offer."

    Timetable? Any attack on Iran will make any timetable for withdrawal from Iraq impossible.

    BTW, this piece of blackmail/propaganda from Israeli historian Benny Morris is not to be missed: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/opinion/18morris.html?_r=3&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&page wanted=print&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

    Parent

    I wonder if anyone here (none / 0) (#26)
    by Grace on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 12:00:23 PM EST
    watched the Richard Engle bit on NBC news the other night?  He reported that one of the most visible changes recently in "peaceful" (post surge) Iraq is that Iranian influence is everywhere.  The Iraqis are even using Iranian currency.  

    I think it will be interesting to see what our response will be if we start pulling out and Iran starts moving in even more.  

    Parent

    The British lost ... (none / 0) (#25)
    by Salo on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:58:22 AM EST
    ...one or two engagements in the AWI.  Saratoga and Yorktown (and lost Yorktown because of Degrasse's naval blockade of the Chesapeake).  But that was enough.  In all the British lost about 2,000 KIA and 5,000 WIA or disease in the American theatre.  

    The US is losing so much more than that.

    Parent

    What fools.... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 09:52:24 AM EST
    the Iraqi leadership are.

    You think you govern your country?  Keep dreamin' fellas, we will leave when we go broke or get tired of dying...and not a second sooner!

    Well (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by CST on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:34:19 AM EST
    From where I sit we ARE broke and tired of dying.  Maybe they'll get lucky.

    Parent
    You and I.... (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by kdog on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:35:56 AM EST
    are tired of our young men and women dying...as for Obama and McCain I have my doubts.

    You're right about us being broke...I should of said when our credit line runs out.

    Parent

    China? (none / 0) (#13)
    by CST on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:54:25 AM EST
    They are in charge now I guess.

    You're right, they aren't tired of dying, but even they have to be tired of bad opinion polls.

    Parent

    Bad opinion polls or not.... (none / 0) (#22)
    by kdog on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:39:43 AM EST
    one of the two clowns is gonna win, and take the helm of the war & occupation machine and guide it until the next stooge takes over the controls in 2012 or 2016.

    Parent
    In terms of a game (none / 0) (#27)
    by Salo on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 12:02:56 PM EST
    I'd expect to see China bankroll Arab and or Persian resistance to American domination of the ME while they lend us money to fight the Arabs and or Persians.

    essentially they get interest on funding the resistance.

    Parent

    There are elections coming up in Iraq, too. (none / 0) (#5)
    by EL seattle on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:34:02 AM EST
    From JuanCole.com:


    Al-Zaman writing in Arabic says that the new date has been set as December 22. It is official: The provincial elections in Iraq will not occur in time to affect the US presidential race. E.g., if the Sadrists sweep to power in many Shiite provinces, that could have been a factor in the US polls. Not going to happen.

    What's the Sadrist view on a timeline for a US pullout?

    Uh, Seriously? (none / 0) (#14)
    by squeaky on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:57:36 AM EST
    What's the Sadrist view on a timeline for a US pullout?

    I'd say about five years ago or so.

    Parent

    With Iraq saying this (none / 0) (#9)
    by Chisoxy on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:46:31 AM EST
    It gives McCain an out. He's not flip-flopping, they want us gone. People are wrong to automatically assume this hurts McCain.

    He doesn't flip flop (none / 0) (#10)
    by CST on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:50:27 AM EST
    But he has to agree Obama is also right on Iraq.

    Or he keeps pushing his "Obama is wrong" act, and it becomes "so is Maliki, and apparently everyone else but me".

    Parent

    i dont see (none / 0) (#15)
    by Chisoxy on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:02:49 AM EST
    why, nor would i see him actually saying either.

    Parent
    Maliki agrees with Obama, he said so (none / 0) (#17)
    by CST on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:10:19 AM EST
    So McCain can say Maliki and Obama are right, but so am I because I said I would pay attention to facts on the ground.

    Or he can say, Maliki is wrong, Obama is wrong, but I, McCain think we need troops to remain in Iraq.

    Not sure where else he can go here.

    Parent

    missing the overarching argument (none / 0) (#24)
    by Salo on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 11:55:20 AM EST
    about the rights and wrongs of the war in the first place of course.

    Iraq government transitions violently from dictatorship and pariah into a rough n' ready  democracy and friend of the west. A process that Obama opposed from the start.

    See how easily that can argued in a 25 second advert?

    luckily the public mood is for Peace and the Democratic party is is the peace party.  It really doesn't matter if Bush or McCain were justified or exhibited foresight and political courage in prosecuting the war.  the Public have lost their tatse for such adventures.

    Parent

    Justified? Exhibited foresight? (none / 0) (#32)
    by wasabi on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 02:56:47 PM EST
    You kidding?  Is this snark?

    Parent
    NPR reports Spigel quotes of Maliki (none / 0) (#28)
    by Saul on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 12:33:57 PM EST
    are not 100 percent.  The Maliki government seems to be back tracking that he was really picking Obama plan for withdrawal and that the interpretation of what he said could have been over played.  Maliki is for a withdrawal and said he did not want to get involved in siding with any of the presidential candidates.  NPR was talking to one of the reporters that is with the Obama entourage.

    Iraq Gov't: US Troops Out By 2010 | 34 comments (34 topical)

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