President Obama announces all U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the year.
Hooray.
This is important to me. Very important. If Obama didn't do this, I would not have supported his re-election.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on October 21, 2011, 11:49:11 AM
President Obama announces all U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the year.
Hooray.
This is important to me. Very important. If Obama didn't do this, I would not have supported his re-election.
"Combat" troops
Lol....He's promised alot of things......
Quote from: Townsend on October 21, 2011, 12:03:17 PM
"Combat" troops
Actually....
QuoteAbout 39,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq, and the U.S. had wanted to keep from 3,000 to 5,000 troops in Iraq past 2011. But the current Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq dictates the U.S. troops leave by year's end, and the United States and Iraq had been unable to come to an agreement on key issues regarding legal immunity for U.S. troops who would remain in Iraq, effectively ending discussion of maintaining a significant American force presence beyond 2011.
Of the 39,000 troops in Iraq, only about 150, a negligible force, will remain to assist in arms sales.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/21/source-almost-all-u-s-troops-out-of-iraq-by-years-end/?hpt=hp_c1
Quote from: we vs us on October 21, 2011, 12:17:34 PM
Actually....
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/21/source-almost-all-u-s-troops-out-of-iraq-by-years-end/?hpt=hp_c1
My rational side will take your word for it but the paranoid in me sees secret US troops stationed all over the place.
Quote from: Townsend on October 21, 2011, 12:27:55 PM
My rational side will take your word for it but the paranoid in me sees secret US troops stationed all over the place.
Oh well sure. In no way did I mean to insinuate that we'd have no Green Berets/Rangers/Delta Force/Drone fleets in-country (or in Stealth Boats floating in darkness offshore). I only meant that all the National Guard guys will finally get to come home and try to put their lives back together finally, and in a number that seems by all accounts much large than initially thought.
Really, it's better news than anticipated.
Quote from: Townsend on October 21, 2011, 12:27:55 PM
My rational side will take your word for it but the paranoid in me sees secret US troops stationed all over the place.
There is one watching you as you read this. Over there, behind that plant.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on October 21, 2011, 01:18:08 PM
There is one watching you as you read this. Over there, behind that plant.
My sources say he's behind that rock. No, no, the one on the
left. EDIT: The
other left.
Quote
Of the 39,000 troops in Iraq, only about 150, a negligible force, will remain to assist in arms sales.
Hell they can just move the ATF Phoenix crew over to Iraq for that job. I hear they have pretty good experience with arms sales.
Quote from: Conan71 on October 21, 2011, 01:36:02 PM
Hell they can just move the ATF Phoenix crew over to Iraq for that job. I hear they have pretty good experience with arms sales.
Winner!!!
Quote
About 39,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq, and the U.S. had wanted to keep from 3,000 to 5,000 troops in Iraq past 2011. But the current Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq dictates the U.S. troops leave by year's end, and the United States and Iraq had been unable to come to an agreement on key issues regarding legal immunity for U.S. troops who would remain in Iraq, effectively ending discussion of maintaining a significant American force presence beyond 2011.
So in other words, we're not pulling out the troops because of any great effort by our leadership. We're pulling them out because we didn't get what we wanted in a contract negotiation and got pissy.
Quote from: sgrizzle on October 21, 2011, 02:45:02 PM
So in other words, we're not pulling out the troops because of any great effort by our leadership. We're pulling them out because we didn't get what we wanted in a contract negotiation and got pissy.
Don't matter what the reason. What matters is that we get out.
I am happy for this but I am also hopeful that this doesn't cause destabilization. Now that Iran is posturing, I'm sure they will (already are) happy to move in and claim their new prize.
Quote from: Gaspar on October 21, 2011, 04:11:37 PM
I am happy for this but I am also hopeful that this doesn't cause destabilization. Now that Iran is posturing, I'm sure they will (already are) happy to move in and claim their new prize.
Maybe we are slow playing them.....
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on October 21, 2011, 02:52:28 PM
Don't matter what the reason. What matters is that we get out.
I'm all for getting out, I'm just pointing out that the result is more coincidental to our current administration than incidental.
Quote from: sgrizzle on October 21, 2011, 02:45:02 PM
So in other words, we're not pulling out the troops because of any great effort by our leadership. We're pulling them out because we didn't get what we wanted in a contract negotiation and got pissy.
This probably has more to do with Iraq's internal politics. A few years ago, one of the military/political analysts predicted that Iraq's governing class would reach a point where they did not want to be seen as puppets of the Americans and at that point we'd be 'asked' to leave. They're a sovereign country, after all, and we originally were there to liberate the people from the oppressive rule of Saddam and company, not to mention the intent to ferret out all those supposed Al Queda in Iraq. Despite that load of bollocks, we remained as an occupying force.
The Iraqi people were happy to see American troops arrive. They'll be equally happy to see them depart.
This conflict has been going on for 1,400 years. Eight years of America's meddling didn't make a difference.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_and_Shiite
The historic background of the Sunni–Shia split lies in the schism that occurred when the Islamic prophet Muhammad died in the year 632.
I would like the U.S. to declare victory, which we did.
Quote from: guido911 on October 21, 2011, 09:46:31 PM
I would like the U.S. to declare victory, which we did.
I never thought our post mission accomplished party would last 8 years. Speaking of Victory; when do we get our spoils? Does every American get one or just the ones that funded the war though a tax increa.. wait, never mind.
Quote from: guido911 on October 21, 2011, 09:46:31 PM
I would like the U.S. to declare victory, which we did.
Can't do that Harry Reid already declared we lost the war there. Remember?
Quote from: RecycleMichael on October 21, 2011, 11:49:11 AM
President Obama announces all U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the year.
Hooray.
This is important to me. Very important. If Obama didn't do this, I would not have supported his re-election.
The agreement, which had been in negotiations since 2007, set a timetable calling for most U.S. troops to leave Iraqi towns and cities by June 30, 2009, with about 50,000 troops left in place until the final withdrawal of all U.S. military forces by Dec. 31, 2011.
http://usiraq.procon.org/sourcefiles/SOFA-11-19-08.pdf
Yes. I knew that. Obama kept to the timetable to withdraw troops, despite pressure from military leaders to ignore the deadline.