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withdrawal deadline set, troops out by 2011
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| josh4 |
| quote: |
Iraq cabinet approves security pact with U.S.
Iraq's cabinet approved a pact on Sunday that will let U.S. troops stay in the country until 2011, setting a final date to end a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.
The pact, agreed upon after nearly a year of gruelling negotiations with Washington, must still be approved by the Iraqi parliament, but Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said he expected that to happen by the end of the month.
It puts a closing date on a war that has been one of the defining political issues in the United States, the Middle East and around the globe for much of the past decade.
"The total withdrawal will be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. This is not governed by circumstances on the ground. This date is specific and final," cabinet spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said of the pact, supported by 27 of 28 cabinet members.
Dabbagh said major factions in parliament had indicated their support. Deputy parliament speaker Khaled al-Attiya said a first reading would be held in the chamber on Monday.
The draft would place the U.S. force in Iraq — which now numbers about 150,000 — under the authority of the Iraqi government for the first time, replacing a mandate enacted by the UN Security Council after the U.S. invasion.
It calls for U.S. forces to leave the streets of Iraq's towns and villages by the middle of next year.
Dabbagh said U.S. forces would hand over their bases to Iraq during the course of 2009 and would lose the authority to raid Iraqi homes without an order from an Iraqi judge and permission of the government.
"We welcome the cabinet's approval of the agreement today. This is an important and positive step," a U.S. embassy spokeswoman said.
The Iraqi government has grown increasing confident of its own ability to keep order as violence has dramatically reduced in the country over the past year.
Iraqi forces now have command in all but five of Iraq's 18 provinces, and took the lead in a crackdown on Shia militias earlier this year.
October saw the lowest monthly death toll from violence since the invasion, according to Iraqi government statistics.
But Iraqi officials acknowledge they still need U.S. military support against Sunni militants in Baghdad and four northern provinces, as well as aid in logistics and fire power.
15 killed in suicide car bombing
A suicide car bomber struck a police checkpoint in volatile Diyala province north of Baghdad on Sunday, killing 15 people, and wounding 20, police said.
Iraqi leaders consider the firm deadline for withdrawal to be a negotiating victory. The outgoing U.S. administration of President George W. Bush long opposed setting any timetable for its troops to withdraw from Iraq, but relented in recent months.
The latest draft, submitted by Washington after the Iraqi cabinet balked at an earlier version last month, even changes the agreement's title to refer explicitly to the withdrawal.
"There have been compromises that satisfied the Iraqi side," Zebari told Reuters. "Now we have a deal that we can defend. It will be published and distributed and all neighbouring countries will have a copy of it."
Some Iraqi politicians have said it was easier to endorse the pact since the election this month of Barack Obama — who favours withdrawal — to replace Bush. Obama's own plan calls for all combat troops to be withdrawn by the middle of 2010.
Dabbagh said Washington had promised Obama would abide by the agreement, which the Bush administration says does not need the approval of the U.S. Congress.
Followers of anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr are the only big group in parliament that still openly opposes the pact.
"Today the cabinet has agreed to put Iraq under the mandate of the American occupation forces. It is a deeply regrettable and sorrowful thing," Ahmed al-Masoudy, spokesman for Sadr's bloc in parliament, told Reuters.
"We are calling upon the Iraqi people to stage demonstrations and sit-ins to stop this farce," he said.
Iran, which has influence among Iraqi Shias, has also opposed the pact. Tehran did not immediately comment, but an analyst on Iranian state television signalled Tehran might ease its stance, calling the draft a victory for Maliki's government that had obtained concessions from Washington.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/...q-security.html
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So I guess that's that. With this plan being Iraqi approved and the President-elect's plan having called for 2010, we can expect American presence in Iraq to be close to nothing by the next election. Also with the Iraqi's pretty much showing us the door any possible increase in violence is their responsibility. |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by josh4
So I guess that's that. With this plan being Iraqi approved and the President-elect's plan having called for 2010, we can expect American presence in Iraq to be close to nothing by the next election. Also with the Iraqi's pretty much showing us the door any possible increase in violence is their responsibility. |
This is the moment which everybody has been waiting for and a moment that just couldn't come soon enough for others.
It'll be a great day when the Iraqi people fully realize their new found sovereignty. :) |
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| Krypton |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fir3start3r
This is the moment which everybody has been waiting for and a moment that just couldn't come soon enough for others.
It'll be a great day when the Iraqi people fully realize their new found sovereignty. :) |
Yep, and it took 4000 dead Americans, 100,000's of dead Iraqi's, and millions of refugees to do it. |
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| Sunsnail |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
Yep, and it took 4000 dead Americans, 100,000's of dead Iraqi's, and millions of refugees to do it. |
Quit being such a negative nancy! |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
Yep, and it took 4000 dead Americans, 100,000's of dead Iraqi's, and millions of refugees to do it. |
Yes, because something like this has never happened in the history of the world...:rolleyes:
Be thankful you live where you do and go hug a vet for giving it to you. |
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| Krypton |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fir3start3r
Yes, because something like this has never happened in the history of the world...:rolleyes: |
Oh, so you excuse it by saying it's just history. Nice...;)...Tell that to an Iraqi whose had to flee their home because of sectarian violence.
| quote: | | Be thankful you live where you do and go hug a vet for giving it to you. |
I am thankful. Both my parents are vets, and so are both my grandfathers (Korean War). My father served two tours of duty in Iraq. WTF is it to you?:rolleyes: |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
Oh, so you excuse it by saying it's just history. Nice...;)...Tell that to an Iraqi whose had to flee their home because of sectarian violence.
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It's not an excuse, it's fact.
Ignoring the fact doesn't make it any prettier or by making excuses.
I'm happy for the Iraqis and sad for what they've had to go through to get to this point.
However, obvious progress is being made.
Taking the cake out of that area is one huge sigh of relief for everyone, not just us so get your head out of the clouds!
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I am thankful. Both my parents are vets, and so are both my grandfathers (Korean War). My father served two tours of duty in Iraq. WTF is it to you?:rolleyes:
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That's awesome - so why so jaded all the time then? |
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| Krypton |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fir3start3r
It's not an excuse, it's fact.
Ignoring the fact doesn't make it any prettier or by making excuses.
I'm happy for the Iraqis and sad for what they've had to go through to get to this point.
However, obvious progress is being made.
Taking the cake out of that area is one huge sigh of relief for everyone, not just us so get your head out of the clouds! |
It's a fact! Noooooo...You're ing with my head aren't you? So because lots of people have died from conflict violence throughout history, that makes violence initiated by us morally correct? Gee, I love the logic in that. Never said securing the yellow cake was a bad thing, so let's not go down the road of straw man arguments again.
| quote: | | That's awesome - so why so jaded all the time then? |
Why am I jaded? You just questioned my love of country...:rolleyes: |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
It's a fact! Noooooo...You're ing with my head aren't you? So because lots of people have died from conflict violence throughout history, that makes violence initiated by us morally correct? Gee, I love the logic in that. Never said securing the yellow cake was a bad thing, so let's not go down the road of straw man arguments again.
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Sorry, explain where I said it was 'morally correct' again? :wtf:
I simply surmised that changes in dictatorships and regimes never happen with sunshine, rainbows and puppies and somehow I'm the bad guy for simply stating it? :rolleyes:
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Why am I jaded? You just questioned my love of country...:rolleyes: |
Actually I wasn't, however your posts in just about all your threads are quite contrary until painted into that corner... |
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| Krypton |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fir3start3r
Sorry, explain where I said it was 'morally correct' again? :wtf:
I simply surmised that changes in dictatorships and regimes never happen with sunshine, rainbows and puppies and somehow I'm the bad guy for simply stating it? :rolleyes: |
Don't try to escape from what's implied from your statement...
"Yes, because something like this has never happened in the history of the world..."
You tried to justify the destruction of millions of people's lives as it just being another part of history. It's happened before, so it's going to happen again. Just go along with it. Right?
| quote: | | Actually I wasn't, however your posts in just about all your threads are quite contrary until painted into that corner... |
So are you equating my loyalty, or unquestionable faith, to my government as love of country? If you didn't know, I strongly despise blind nationalism. If my government s up, I will make sure they know it. That is love of country. Going along with every they do? That's just being a ing retard... |
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| hardcore trancer |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fir3start3r
Yes, because something like this has never happened in the history of the world...:rolleyes:
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Wait so we should just repeat our mistakes over and over again?How about we learn from the past and not go to wars?:rolleyes: |
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| Krypton |
| quote: | Originally posted by hardcore trancer
Wait so we should just repeat our mistakes over and over again?How about we learn from the past and not go to wars?:rolleyes: |
...because then the world would be full of...sunshine, rainbows and puppies...:stongue: |
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