Troops in Iraq Are Coming Home!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hallelujah! May they all return home to their families safely!

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama plans to remove all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by August 2010, administration officials said Tuesday, ending the war three months later than he had promised during his presidential campaign.

The withdrawal plan — an announcement could come as early as this week — calls for leaving a large contingent of troops behind, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, to advise and train Iraqi security forces and to protect U.S. interests.

Obama built enormous grass-roots support for his White House bid by pledging to withdraw troops 16 months after taking office. That schedule, based on removing roughly one brigade a month, was predicated on commanders determining that it would not endanger U.S. troops left behind or Iraq's fragile security.

The contingent remaining will include intelligence and surveillance specialists and their equipment, including unmanned aircraft, according to two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not been made public.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090224/ap_on_...iraq_withdrawal

[Dakine 26]

for leaving a large contingent of troops behind, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, to advise and train Iraqi security forces and to protect U.S. interests.

That's a LOT!

How many are there now?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

for leaving a large contingent of troops behind, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, to advise and train Iraqi security forces and to protect U.S. interests.

That's a LOT!

How many are there now?

I think there's about 150,000.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

for leaving a large contingent of troops behind, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, to advise and train Iraqi security forces and to protect U.S. interests.

That's a LOT!

How many are there now?

I think there's about 150,000.

That is what I think too. The surge put the number in that range. I will be glad to see them home again, I only hope that their sacrifice was not in vain.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A further withdrawal will take place before December 2011, the period by which the U.S. agreed with Iraq to remove all American troops.

According to the AP report, military commanders and national security advisers differed on strategies, and responded to the president's request with a series of alternatives. The 16-month withdrawal process was weighed against a 23-month timeline. As Obama is often inclined to do, he reportedly chose a 19-month strategy as a compromise.

Joe Klein added, "[T]he situation in Iraq has improved and a fairly rapid draw-down is not only practicable but necessary. The Army and Marines remain over-deployed, there are budgetary considerations and the Af/Pak situation obviously has become a higher military priority. There are still serious problems in Iraq, especially along the Arab-Kurd border in the north, but nothing like the chaos that existed two years ago.... [A] dreadful chapter in the history of American policy -- a bloody war of choice launched thoughtlessly -- seems to be coming to a close."

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

U.S. military and administration officials tell NBC News that President Obama is expected to announce that more than half of the American troops will be withdrawn from Iraq within 19 months.

The plan, expected to be announced later this week, would draw down the number of forces from the current 142,000 to around 50,000.

Although the plan falls short of Obama's campaign pledge to withdraw all U.S. combat forces from Iraq within 16 months, one senior military official said, "It's close."

The official also points out, however, that the remaining force of 50,000 would still contain a sizeable "combat element" to provide rapid reaction assistance to Iraqi combat forces and force protection for the remaining American troops and U.S. government civilians.

The sources say the 19-month timetable was one of three options presented to President Obama for the withdrawal of forces -- 16, 19 and 23-month withdrawal plans.

A senior military official said that it was up to the president to weigh the risks in withdrawal and "the shorter the timetable the greater the risk" to U.S. forces and Iraqi security.

The officials also point out that the 19-month timetable is also contingent on the "conditions at the ground."

According to a senior military official, "We're looking into a crystal ball here. The 19-month withdrawal is based on assumptions -- (on improved security) -- and if those assumptions don’t hold up, all bets are off, and we'd have to adjust."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/200...24/1807198.aspx

Edited February 25, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[Ban Hammer 13,355]

i see some major wiggle room there.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

i see some major wiggle room there.

Realistically, there has to be wiggle room. To leave without some objectives being met would be even more of a waste of lives than has already occured.

[Ban Hammer 13,355]

i see some major wiggle room there.

Realistically, there has to be wiggle room. To leave without some objectives being met would be even more of a waste of lives than has already occured.

on the bright side, if they do bring home 2/3 of them, that means more overtime for me.

[Jasman0717 9]

They will just get shifted to Afghanistan

[alienlovechild 75]

President Barack Obama plans to remove all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by August 2010, administration officials said Tuesday, ending the war three months later than he had promised during his presidential campaign.

Events on the ground and stabilization by the surge had a far larger hand in making it possible to withdraw some troops. Very little credit goes to Obama for a campaign promise and his votes against the surge. If we can blame Bush for Iraq we should admit he finally found a general that could wind the war down before the end of his term. At least it's nowhere near as bad as Vietnam when Nixon took over.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

President Barack Obama plans to remove all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by August 2010, administration officials said Tuesday, ending the war three months later than he had promised during his presidential campaign.

Events on the ground and stabilization by the surge had a far larger hand in making it possible to withdraw some troops. Very little credit goes to Obama for a campaign promise and his votes against the surge. If we can blame Bush for Iraq we should admit he finally found a general that could wind the war down before the end of his term. At least it's nowhere near as bad as Vietnam when Nixon took over.

I would agree that Bush made a good move on that part, but really what has changed is the geo-political aspect of all the tribal violence in Iraq. This was never a 'war' to be won, but a nation to find itself.

[alienlovechild 75]

I would agree that Bush made a good move on that part, but really what has changed is the geo-political aspect of all the tribal violence in Iraq. This was never a 'war' to be won, but a nation to find itself.

So Obama will help Afghanistan "find" itself? A tall order since the place is more decentralized than Iraq.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Lets not forget that the "good decision" came out of the Bush administration after months of indecision, punctuated by "stay the course".

His administration had tied its hands on the policy and didn't want to be seen to have made a mistake (i.e having no advance plans to ensure reconstruction of the country) so they stuck with the status quo hoping that things would improve. They didn't and the public got increasingly dissatisfied with the administration's rhetoricising of the issue until the public outcry essentially forced the WH into changing its strategy.

The surge was the only right decision that could have been made at the time - but Bush was forced into making it.

Edited February 25, 2009 by Paul Daniels

[alienlovechild 75]

The surge was the only right decision that could have been made at the time - but Bush was forced into making it.

The surge was not popular at the time and Bush made a decision against public sentiment during calls for timetables for withdrawal. it took a long time for people to concede it was the correct course of action even if belatedly so. Obama had a hard time saying it was a success during the campaign so we're not talking ancient history here.