That may not happen even if Obama is president:
Iraq is a sovereign country. Not just according to me, but according to George Bush and John McCain. So ultimately our presence there is at their invitation, and their policy decisions have to be taken into account. I also think that Maliki recognizes that they're going to need our help for some time to come, as our commanders insist, but that the help is of the sort that is consistent with the kind of phased withdrawal that I have promoted. We're going to have to provide them with logistical support, intelligence support. We're going to have to have a very capable counterterrorism strike force. We're going to have to continue to train their Army and police to make them more effective.I'm glad he's changed his position on this but I don't know if we can trust him. Who knows what he'll do until he becomes president. He's still saying that he'll end this war. Maybe in his mind the support he's intending he doesn't consider "war" maybe he's thinking support and not "war." So, if he leaves troops there he can say that they are for "security" purposes not because we are technically fighting a war.
You've been talking about those limited missions for a long time. Having gone there and talked to both diplomatic and military folks, do you have a clearer idea of how big a force you'd need to leave behind to fulfill all those functions?I do think that's entirely conditions-based. It's hard to anticipate where we may be six months from now, or a year from now, or a year and a half from now.
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, this is HILARIOUS. Suddenly, The Obamanation AGREES with Bush and the position of the GOP that our presence is based on the conditions and that it could extend far beyond 16 months. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You lame LEFTY LIBS. But it will be interesting to hear all your EXCUSES for this one. Next Please!
Tifanny, typing in all caps is considered shouting. The troops and their families knew what they were getting into when they signed up.
The only disucssion left to have on Iraq is some minor quibbling about exactly how long the drawdown will take. It's essentially a non-issue now. Bush fixed it.
bush fixed it? really? so exactly how long will the draw down take, according to bush's "fix" that is?
also, when you say, "the troops and their families knew what they were getting into when they signed up," you should add the caveat that they also expect the commander in chief to be responsible and only go to war when it is absolutely necessary, and to execute it smartly (bush failed both). that's why there's a lot of opposition to this war even within military ranks and families.
michele, if you think that obama intends to leave 120,000 troops in iraq, i think you're mistaken. he has always talked about leaving training forces and small counterterrorism forces. the fact that you see this as some change in his position is proof that you listen to the right-wing dittoheads spin for you and not what obama has been saying.
what was interesting to see is that after maliki's insistence on us having a withdrawal timetable, bush backpedaled and offered a "time horizon" and mccain himself indicated that a 16 month timetable (and yes, he really did use the word) is about right (on cnn).
I also am glad Obama is shifting towards pragmatism on the Iraq War, and I don't believe we can trust him or any other politician. But, in the real world, we still have to vote for someone if we plan to vote.
"the fact that you see this as some change in his position is proof that you listen to the right-wing dittoheads spin for you and not what obama has been saying."
Agreed. I pointed out to Michele that Obama did, indeed, agree that the surge is working. As in, with 160,000 troops, how could it not work?
She's pretty selective in who she reads and listens to. Even uses Rush Limbaugh and Faux "News" as "reliable sources".
It is no wonder she is not much believed.
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