U.S. to withdraw most Iraq troops by August 2010

Tyr

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Nice plan in theory, but highly unlikely.

Too many people (and corporations) are making millions off this war (and Afghanistan) to be able to turn the "spigott" off on a set date.

They will still be there in 2011

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama said Friday he plans to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010.

President Obama talks about his Iraq War withdrawal plan at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, on Friday.

Between 35,000 to 50,000 troops will remain in Iraq, he said. They would be withdrawn gradually until all U.S. forces are out of Iraq by December 31, 2011 -- the deadline set under an agreement the Bush administration signed with the Iraqi government last year.

"Let me say this as plainly as I can: By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end," Obama said in a speech at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
"By any measure, this has already been a long war," Obama said. It is time to "bring our troops home with the honor they have earned."

Obama's trip to Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base, was his first trip to a military base since being sworn in.

Administration officials, who briefed reporters on the plan, said the remaining troops would take on advisory roles in training and equipping Iraqi forces, supporting civilian operations in Iraq and conducting targeted counterterrorism missions, which would include some combat.

But the ultimate success or failure of the war in Iraq, Obama said, would rest with the Iraqi people themselves. The U.S. "cannot police Iraq's streets indefinitely until they are completely safe," the president said.

It is up to the Iraqis, he said, to ensure a future under a government that is "sovereign, stable and self-reliant."

"We sent our troops to Iraq to do away with Saddam Hussein's regime and you got the job done," he said, referring to the troops.

The U.S. military had also "exceeded every expectation" suppressing the insurgency in the years that followed.

Al Qaeda in Iraq had been dealt "a serious blow," the president added. "The capacity of Iraq's security forces has improved, and Iraq's leaders have made strides toward political accommodation" through steps such as January's provincial elections.

"Iraq is not yet secure and there will be difficult days ahead," he said, but the Iraqi people now have a "hard-earned opportunity ... for a better life."

Obama said he made his decision after reviewing several options presented by key military and civilian advisers.

He said that he acted with "careful consideration of events on the ground, with respect for the security agreements between the United States and Iraq, and with a critical recognition that the long-term solution in Iraq must be political, not military."

There are 142,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. During the presidential campaign, Obama pledged to pull out all those troops within 16 months. This plan exceeds that promise by three months.

The administration officials would not say how many of the troops leaving Iraq would be redeployed to Afghanistan.

When asked whether troops might be sent back if Iraq becomes unstable after the pullout, a senior aide said the president has always said he wanted some flexibility on the issue.

The president's troop withdrawal plan is meeting with mixed reviews in Congress
 

Albertabound

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Sep 2, 2006
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and the ones he does pull out will be relocated over to Afghanastan. So the money keeps rolling in. They have to keep their GDP up you no. Gonna sell a lot of tanks and planes to the NEW iraq.
 

JLM

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After all the screaming we've heard and bad mouthing Bush for even having troops in Iraq, I would have thought that this would have come as good news for the majority of people. (Or is it that some people are NEVER happy?)
 

L Gilbert

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Some are never happy.
Sounded to me this morning that the big O was going to try to ease his people out while helping Iraq maintain some sort of order. I think it's high hopes, but who knows. The big O might be able to do better than Dumbya.
 

EagleSmack

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After all the screaming we've heard and bad mouthing Bush for even having troops in Iraq, I would have thought that this would have come as good news for the majority of people. (Or is it that some people are NEVER happy?)

The thing is that if we are out of Iraq they will not have the thing that they LOVED to scream about since 2003. They found a sense of joy in it. Each day a new thing and a new reason to scream and post. Those days might be ending.

Obama's ruining all their fun!
 

JLM

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The thing is that if we are out of Iraq they will not have the thing that they LOVED to scream about since 2003. They found a sense of joy in it. Each day a new thing and a new reason to scream and post. Those days might be ending.

Obama's ruining all their fun!

You know I think you may be onto something there- some people aren't happy unless they are whining.
 

Albertabound

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We came.....we destroyed your country and now we know where you can ge a good deal on a "pick up the pieces and rebuild your country package" all for the low cost of $19.99. So I guess they did what they went there to accomplish.

No I'm glad they are pulling out....just worried where they are heading next.
 

Albertabound

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Sep 2, 2006
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and order now and you will also receive a " we're sorry so many inocent people had to die in the process" apology.
 

Tyr

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After all the screaming we've heard and bad mouthing Bush for even having troops in Iraq, I would have thought that this would have come as good news for the majority of people. (Or is it that some people are NEVER happy?)

and bad mouthing Bush for even having troops in Iraq,

...and somehow you thought having troops there was OK?

It's was Bush's complicity that jaded everyone's opinion of does the USA actually do what they say they are going to do?

I empathisize (and frankly don't believe it can be done) with Obama having to clean up a mess that was eight yrs in the making.

But then some people (fewer and fewer) are Bush apologists and believe that he was the greatest world leader ever. Nothing can convince them differently
 

Tyr

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The thing is that if we are out of Iraq they will not have the thing that they LOVED to scream about since 2003. They found a sense of joy in it. Each day a new thing and a new reason to scream and post. Those days might be ending.

Obama's ruining all their fun!

Ah yes. Then's there's Afghanistan. Need I say more?
 

L Gilbert

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The OP mentioned something about turning the spogot off as if everytthing would continue stays quo until some date in 2010 and at that time all US people would pack up and leave.
Then you say that the US will still be there (presumably you meant as per the current situation).
Neither are what Obama says he plans. He said he plans that most troops would be out in 2010. Whether private US concerns will be left there or not is more or less not relevant. The US gov't has little control over what US companies do overseas.
 

Tyr

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Nov 27, 2008
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Does anyone else have aluminum tubes now that Iraq is tube free since 03?

Mexico and Venezuala have carted theirs off to the jungle..... but you never know 8O

Getting rid of your tubes is never an easy thing. Thank God for Tubeless Support Groups and Tube Therapy
 

Francis2004

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Nov 18, 2008
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The thing is that if we are out of Iraq they will not have the thing that they LOVED to scream about since 2003. They found a sense of joy in it. Each day a new thing and a new reason to scream and post. Those days might be ending.

Obama's ruining all their fun!

Humans by nature can always find something to complain about..

Say what was that dog Obama was buying for his kids :lol:
 

Tyr

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Nov 27, 2008
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The OP mentioned something about turning the spogot off as if everytthing would continue stays quo until some date in 2010 and at that time all US people would pack up and leave.
Then you say that the US will still be there (presumably you meant as per the current situation).
Neither are what Obama says he plans. He said he plans that most troops would be out in 2010. Whether private US concerns will be left there or not is more or less not relevant. The US gov't has little control over what US companies do overseas.

Other than in Iraq and Afghanistan the US gov't is the bank that pays them. :roll: