Guess everybody will be glad to hear the US will be staying in Iraq,

[sad sally]

and sounds like Sec Panetta is saying DoD won't be bothered by the 5 and 10 percent cuts other agencies are going to have to come up with. Think by staying another decade or two the national debt will blow a gasket? Not to worry, American presidents, American congress people and your average patriotic American loves war - can't seem to get enough of them.

Isn't this just wonderful news - US troops to stay in Afghanistan until 2024 and now will be staying in Iraq past December until who knows when.

The most war-hungry country in the world - the good ole' USA. I think I'm gonna' go have a good cry.

Note: we are DEMANDING to stay in this illegal war.

http://www.stripes.com/news/panetta-iraq-has-agreed-to-negotiate-extended-u-s-presence-1.152633?du

UPDATED AUG. 19, 5:13 P.M. EDT

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday that Iraq has agreed to negotiate an extension of noncombat U.S. forces there beyond 2011.

“My view is that they finally did say, ‘Yes,’ ” he said during his first small-group press interview since taking office July 1. Panetta is the highest-ranking U.S. official to indicate this so clearly.

Six weeks ago, an exasperated Panetta urged Iraqi leaders to “Dammit, make a decision” about extending the U.S. troop presence beyond the scheduled Dec. 31 withdrawal.

Now, although Iraqi leaders have yet to make a formal request, Panetta said the Pentagon is moving forward, because there is unanimous consent among key Iraqi leaders to address U.S. demands.

[cutlassmama]

1. gotta get all those oil pipelines in place and keep them protected

[roamer65]

2. Continued military presence on both sides of Iran.

Hmmm...

[sad sally]

4. The Iranian Squeeze? Let's get a ground war there, too.

FUTURE OP TEMPO: “We’ll continue to have a war on terrorism,” Panetta said. “I think it’s a fair bet that we’re going to continue to confront threats in the world,” maintaining a forward presence in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Pacific.

“If the Arab Spring has told us anything, it’s that we’re dealing with a lot of turmoil in a very complicated part of the world. … I think we’ll have to continue to maintain that presence that we have there.”

[leftstreet]

3. It's the only way to keep Al-Qaeda's naval fleet from our shores n/t

K&R

[FLAprogressive]

5. Add THAT one to the "list".

:sarcasm:

[WCGreen]

6. I give up...

I will more than likely be dead by 2024 so what the hell should I care.

Someone please tell me why I should give a shit anymore...

[ProSense]

7. Here's my favorite part:

“We will fulfill the commitment that we are going to take all of the combat forces out of Iraq.”

Good!

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. And to do so they will put 'non' before the 'combat' troops what

will continue to be shot at and bombed on a daily basis.

We won't be out of there till every fucking troop is sent home. Keeping 50,000 'non-combat" troops there, not to mention 100,000 'security contractors' is so fucking blatant that if a republican suggested it we'd ALL be screaming.

But when Obama and Pinata say it...

[Lasher]

16. I thought Obama got all the combat brigades out of Iraq by August 31 last year.

How can it be that there are more combat forces to get out? Did somebody sneak some combat soldiers back in when we weren't looking?

[ClarkUSA]

8. Panetta said the Pentagon will end U.S. military operations in Iraq as scheduled.

[sad sally]

12. Am guessing you mean combat troops when you say military operations?

The US' illegal war in Iraq hasn't exactly produced a safe place for either its citizens nor would it be for US military trainers and planners that Panetta and the President talk about staying in Iraq without providing combat support for their safety. Although it wouldn't be a surprise if the combat support came in the form of predator drones, since Panetta seems to favor them.

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. He is lying.

Ever consider that?

Why would we retain, what is it 5 or 6?, permanent bases with 10 - 25,000 troops in a war-torn country EXCEPT for combat operations?

They aren't in Germany or England - they won't be able to walk off base to go to the pub. They show their faces and they will get SHOT. That makes them combat troops.

They will be there to support the Iraqi forces, and to lead the Iraqi forces if necessary - that means combat operations. If the intention was to simply train them, we could fly them to the US, train them on American bases where they wouldn't risk getting suicide-bombed by their countrymen - which would, incidentally, be cheaper than keeping troop over there to train them, with all the security that entails.

Panetta is fucking lying.

[SavWriter]

9. Does anyone remember when

We heard about our war casualties every day? When we cared about the troops that we lost daily? When is the last time you looked at this? http://icasualties.org/

Now when we ask about a war and when it will end, we are told we want the enemy to win.

[leftstreet]

10. What are you a commie? You embolden our enemies by posting that link!

:hi:

Welcome to DU! And thanks for the reminder

[truedelphi]

11. Added to my misery, sad sally, is finding out last weekend that

During the Fall of 2010, President Obama offered up One Hundred And Fifty Billions of dollars to the nuke warhead industry, to make more nuclear warheads. He claims he needed to do this in order to be able to get through the negotiations on the SALT treaty.

Think of what that 150 + billions of dollars would do to help the thirty five states who are suffering from serious budget deficits?

[sad sally]

14. Doesn't make sense, does it? Did you see this one?

US arms sales at odds with words

May 21, 2011|By Derrick Z. Jackson, Globe Columnist

ON THE same day President Obama pressed again for peace in the Middle East, the Associated Press reminded us that the United States cannot help itself from flooding the region with the instruments of war, reporting that the nation is “quietly expanding defense ties on a vast scale’’ with Saudi Arabia.

How vast? The part that has been highly publicized is the new $60 billion arms sale made to the Saudis because of the ongoing threat of Iran. The deal sends Saudi Arabia 84 new F-15s and upgrades to 70 F-15s. It also sends them about 180 Apache, Black Hawk, and Little Bird helicopters, as well as anti-ship and anti-radar missiles. In officially announcing the sale last fall, Andrew Shapiro, the US assistant secretary of state for political affairs, said the sales were part of “deepening our security relationship with a key partner with whom we’ve enjoyed a solid security relationship for nearly 70 years.’’

[truedelphi]

17. Yuck. I mention 150+ billion, and you point to yet

Another 60 Billion... For a total of over 210 Billions of dollars. yet the states are laying off their teachers, and shutting their libraries, trimming back the "fat" from their social programs, delaying needed repairs to roads, and on and on.

And what the big giveaways to the Military Induistrial Complex tell us is that no one in Washington DC realizes that wgat the real threat is. The big threat right now is from within - a nation whose Middle Class is so battered, bewildered and beleagured that few people of that class can make sense of their lives.

They will get the message when it is Oakland Calif. or Chicago's south side that is rioting. And then it will be too late.

[ZombieHorde]

18. Obama: Complete withdrawal by end of ‘08

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/sep/13/obama-complete32withdrawal32by-end-of-08/

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Sen. Barack Obama yesterday called for the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq at a steady pace, with all combat troops either at home or redeployed elsewhere by December 2008.

“We must get out strategically and carefully, removing troops from secure areas first, and keeping troops in more volatile areas until later, but our drawdown should proceed at a steady pace of one or two brigades each month,” Mr. Obama said.

A day after hearing the progress report from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to Congress, Mr. Obama rejected the general’s recommendations and said Iraq’s government has failed to meet its own goals.

His withdrawal proposal reinforces the Iraq war as the major battleground among the Democratic presidential candidates, who have spent the campaign competing with each other for support from the party’s antiwar voters.

[sad sally]

19. It was the wrong (illegal) war when he said that and still is.

In case anybody forgot why Bush and Congress said we had to go to war in Iraq.

In part, the Joint Resolution for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 said:

Whereas the current Iraqi regime has demonstrated its capability and willingness to use weapons of mass destruction against other nations and its own people;

Whereas the current Iraqi regime has demonstrated its continuing hostility toward, and willingness to attack, the United States, including by attempting in 1993 to assassinate former President Bush and by firing on many thousands of occasions on United States and Coalition Armed Forces engaged in enforcing the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council;

Whereas members of al Qaida, an organization bearing responsibility for attacks on the United States, its citizens, and interests, including the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, are known to be in Iraq;

Whereas Iraq continues to aid and harbor other international terrorist organizations, including organizations that threaten the lives and safety of United States citizens;

Whereas the attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, underscored the gravity of the threat posed by the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction by international terrorist organizations;

Whereas Iraq's demonstrated capability and willingness to use weapons of mass destruction, the risk that the current Iraqi regime will either employ those weapons to launch a surprise attack against the United States or its Armed Forces or provide them to international terrorists who would do so, and the extreme magnitude of harm that would result to the United States and its citizens from such an attack, combine to justify action by the United States to defend itself;


Bush was required to prove to the Congress that Iraq was in violation of UN Resolutions by still being in possession of weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq was behind 9-11. Both claims have since been disproved and discredited. The continuing Iraq war was and still is illegal.

[kenny blankenship]

20. Hope Changes...

[tblue]

21. Guy, I feel so helpless and voiceless.

And no one who can do anything is doing anything.

[Bluebear]

22. Yes we can!

[indepat]

23. The old, the frail, and the poor had better get to liking their peas and liking 'em

a lot. :patriot:

[Bluebear]

24. They can also Hope.

[slipslidingaway]

25. good for business - Clinton Encourages U.S. Business to Invest in Iraq

http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2011/06/20110603172921eiznekcam0.9236719.html#axzz1Vi4qhpYs

"
Washington — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is calling on American companies to seize business opportunities in Iraq as an investment in a “major civilian commitment” to the country’s future.

“President Obama and I and our government believe strongly that expanding economic opportunity is as essential as building democratic institutions,” Clinton said in remarks June 3 at the State Department. She addressed a business forum promoting commercial opportunities in Iraq, where business leaders joined U.S. and Iraqi government officials to discuss economic development across the country.

...
She said the United States is entering a new phase in its relationship with Iraq, and stands ready to commit civilian experts to work with their Iraqi counterparts and fellow Americans looking to start businesses around the country.

Clinton underscored the advantages of investing in Iraq, noting the International Monetary Fund’s projection that the country will grow faster than China during the next two years.

“Iraqis are looking to rebuild every sector of their economy — not only their oil sector, but agribusiness, transportation, housing, banking and many others,” she said..."

[treestar]

26. This is a negotiated settlement

The war is over. The issues are resolved.

[GSLevel9]

27. who's surprised? not me. nt