Will Obama keep troops in Iraq until 2011?

[Dis Pater]

Or will he withdraw 16 brigades in 16 months?


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hJG-Yv3OUGJWBqLZDoX4H8_ncpBg
BAGHDAD (AFP) — Iraq's parliament on Thursday approved a landmark military pact that will see all US troops withdraw by the end of 2011, eight years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and plunged the country into chaos.

After 11 months of hard-nosed negotiations with Washington and a flurry of internal negotiations leading up to the vote, the pact was approved by 149 members of the 198 who attended the session of the 275-member assembly.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Shiite-led government succeeded in corralling a comfortable majority to support the historic agreement, including the main blocs representing the country's Sunni and Kurdish minorities.

"This is an historic day for the great people of Iraq," Maliki said in a televised address after the parliamentary vote.



How hard did Robert Gates push for this agreement?

[MindMatter]

1. This is just Bush trying to keep his policies alive after Obama takes over

But it is much ado about nothing. Obama can and will draw down troops at a pace faster than indicated by that press release. It is no big deal if there are still 1000 or so advisers there a couple of years from now. The main issues are to stop dumping billions a month into that place and to get our soldiers out of danger.

[jenmito]

2. Obama said he's going to get his team together and give them their new mission to wihdraw

the troops in 16 months.

[Dis Pater]

3. If the Iraqi govt asks us to stay to 2011

do we have an obligation to help?

[jenmito]

4. No. We do what's in OUR interest. We need to bring home our troops and send some

to Afghanistan. We're going to bring them home to save money to fix up our infrastructure, too.

[Dis Pater]

6. Is it in our interest to show the world that we clean up our messes?

[jenmito]

7. By withdrawing our troops it will force the Iraqis to finally take control. Is it in YOUR interest

to have Obama break his promise?

[Dis Pater]

8. What kind of a question is that?

Especially with the capitalization, is this some kind of loyalty test you put people up to?

[jenmito]

9. You're new here, right? I'm asking you that question...

because I gave you my answer and your response to that did not seem like someone who supports Obama's long-stated position. Obama told us and the world he wants to get our troops out of Iraq within 16 months.

[Dis Pater]

10. I support his long stated position, Gates seems to have been involved in these

most recent negotiations. Obama is keeping Gates. I see a potential for mixed signals.

[jenmito]

12. That didn't seem to be your concern when you replied, "Is it in our interest to show the

world that we clean up our messes?" So are you concerned about looking like we're staying longer than Obama SAID we would or about sending mixed signals?

[Life Long Dem]

11. Cleaning up involves picking up and getting out of Iraq.

Then we see how well trained the troops are and whether they will either fly own their own, or will they crash and need our defense again? That's cleaning up.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. I think he will begin drawing down the levels immediately and we'll be out by the end of 2011

Either way I'm glad we have a President that is serious about drawing down the conflict in the immediate future and not 100 more years McCain.

[Honeycombe8]

13. I think it takes about 2 years to deploy totally, so question is whether he starts before 2011,

or whether he starts IN 2011. He could start next year or in 2010, and STILL be in accordance with the new agreement, since troops would still be there.

I suspect he's made an agreement with Gates, though, that troops will not be deployed next year, and that things will go along much as they are now, but taking the conditions on the ground into account.

[L0oniX]

14. What ever happend to 90 days ..err uhm 6 months ...oops and now what 2 years?

Next thing you know it will be ...I'll get it done in my next term.

[jenmito]

15. Since when did Obama change from saying he'd get our troops out in 16 months by

bringing home one or two brigades a month?