Iraq: Troops Can Withdraw From Some Cities

[sabra]

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http://www.ftimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=28236&TM=32906.38

Iraq: Troops Can Withdraw From Some Cities

By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's prime minister said Tuesday that U.S. and other foreign troops could begin handing over security to Iraqis in selected cities, although he opposes setting a timetable for the complete withdrawal of multinational forces.

Underscoring security concerns, a car bomb killed at least three people and wounded 15 Tuesday in the ethnically tense northern oil city of Kirkuk, police said. An American soldier died of injuries suffered in a land mine explosion south of the capital, the U.S. command said.

Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari spoke to reporters alongside Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, who arrived Tuesday from Jordan, where he and Iraqi officials signed four economic agreements.

Al-Jaafari said he opposed such a timetable "when we are not ready" to assume responsibility for defending the country against the insurgents. However, al-Jaafari added that security in many of Iraq's 18 provinces has improved so that Iraqi forces could assume the burden of maintaining order in cities there.

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[justinsb]

1. Yeah, just like they keep withdrawing from Fallujah

Anyone notice a pattern here? US Launches offensive, US withdraws, US launches another offensive - do you think it's possible that the insurgents like to go to the places where the US isn't?

[gratuitous]

2. Doublespeak

"What? You don't have enough troops to secure the country? But you said . . . all right, how do we make the best of this? Okay, we're going to have to pull back, now which cities can we leave undefended? Hmmm, probably not a good idea for my long-term political hopes to identify them by name. What excuse can we use to leave them high and dry, though? We have sufficient Iraqi forces to defend these cities? Bwahahahahaha! Oh . . . you're serious. Well, you call the shots, General; I'm just the prime minister. I'll make the announcement."

[Roland99]

3. We'll see how many "Trained" Iraqi forces remain on the job...

once the US withdraws.

[leftchick]

4. This one sentence shows the announcement is bullshit...

~snip~

He didn't specify which cities where he felt the redeployment could occur.

Because... There is not ONE city in Iraq that is secure. Not one.

[Zorra]

5. Selected cities? Like, uh, what, San Diego? n/t

[tabasco]

6. I have no doubt US forces will be pulled out of the cities.

US forces will be pulled off of all law & order missions to go guard the pipelines. I thought it would happen much earlier.

This is our puppets mouthing what the corporate overlords have told them to say.

Iraq can fall into chaos but as long as the oil flows, Cheney and the overlords will be content.

[saigon68]

7. Yup--- Emperor Cheney is counting the Oil Dollars

After all that's the only reason we went there in the first place.

[Barrett808]

8. Latest leaked British document: Withdrawal at the start of 2006

All a transparently desperate attempt by the GOP to cut the Iraq albatross from its neck before the midterm elections.