(Bush) 'US would leave if Iraq asks'

[sabra]

Source: News24

Washington - US President George W Bush, who has warned that a hasty US pullout from Iraq would be catastrophic, said on Thursday that US forces would leave if the fledgling Baghdad government asked them to.

"We are there at the invitation of the Iraqi government. This is a sovereign nation," he said at a White House press conference.

"If they were to say 'leave', we would leave."



Read more: http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_2118788,00.html

[whistle]

1. cough...(bullshit)...cough

[emilyg]

11. I'm coughing with you - what a liar

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Iraqi Parliament HAS asked already.

At least once. On the record.

[snappyturtle]

3. Wouldn't you think one of the reporters would have

mentioned that in a follow up question? They asked their questions and let the president blather...next question....fight them there...blather, ad nauseum.

[Vilis Veritas]

4. cough....(complicit)....cough

[snappyturtle]

6. cough...(momentary memory loss)...cough.

I keep remembering better days....

[Kagemusha]

12. No, it was not on the record. It was not a resolution.

It is NOT on the record. Nothing personal, because I'm sure that's how it came off to you, but it was a petition, a proposal for having an official vote, NOT on the record, and I have not heard anything at all about the speaker allowing a vote on it. (Now if something changed and I truly am not aware of it, fine, but that was the status of things when the 'Iraq parliament calls for withdrawl' story floated around the media.)

My understanding is that the consensus-based Iraqi parliament would have one hell of a very, very difficult time putting out any kind of binding resolution if PM Maliki opposes it. So the Iraqi GOVERNMENT has not asked for US withdrawal. Already. Or at all.

[no_hypocrisy]

13. I humbly stand in error. I did misunderstand the implications.

Thank you.

[Kagemusha]

15. No problem. Loosely written media reports cause misimpressions a-plenty.

I just hope to correct a few of them from time to time. Besides, it's not insignificant if a parliament majority wants a withdrawal but the 'national unity government' cabinet de facto vetoes it. That's a story in itself.

[lumberjack_jeff]

21. The speaker did take action...

... he called a three month recess for Parliament.

Did he do it to avoid a vote? One could speculate so, particularly since, being seen as US puppets, the leaders lives are at risk when we leave.

[Kagemusha]

23. Ah? Don't they have a recess every summer when it's H-O-T in Iraq?

You know, desert country? So I wonder about your "did he do it to avoid a vote" thing. I didn't think that the recess had one single thing to do with the petition.

[alfredo]

26. No, that's Unitarians.

[soothsayer]

5. What are all those IED-shaped invitations for us to get the hell out?

[rocktivity]

7. I interrupt this thread to bring you an important announcement

THEY HAVE ASKED TO YOU LEAVE, JACKASS!

I now return you to your regularly scheduled DU.

:headbang:
rocknation

[ohio2007]

8. Sounds like he wants Iraqi Parliament to set a firm out date

They should take the hint and work on a redeployment declaration NOW

[endarkenment]

9. Total Bullshit nt.

[leftwing9]

10. Well, it's pretty clear the Iraqi people want us to leave

...so if they have a democracy, then the Iraqi government also wants them to leave.

Oh, shoot. Why do I even try to play Bush's logical games....

[Kagemusha]

16. Your "if" is the crux of the problem.

Look how huge a majority in the United Kingdom want their troops pulled out of Iraq. Look how awesomely little effect that public sentiment has on actual policy. They have government by representatives, not pure democracy. Similarly, the Iraqi cabinet has great power to resist the will of the public or even parliament.

[Brigid]

14. And who actually believes this?

I'm not kidding; I laughed out loud when I heard him say this. :rofl:

[pinniped]

17. The POS* didn't have an invitation in 2003.

.

[Massachusetts]

18. georgie is a liar, liar, his pants are on fire.

We are insane as a nation to take the continual lying, misuse of public trust and misuse of the law.....ahhh what else? FUBAR! that about sums it up for me. Time was up a long time ago for the george and dickless Show.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

19. Remember, you are listening to the last drunk at the party

who is still searching the refrigerator for a beer after the hosts have gone to bed.

[sakabatou]

20. O RLY?

[pkz]

22. They were a sovereign nation

when he attacked, who ask them to come?

[kitty1]

24. Did the Iraqi nation invite you to turn their country into Hell too

[Brundle_Fly]

25. if by iraqi government you mean

the oil companies

[arewenotdemo]

27. Political suicide anyone?

[Honeycombe8]

28. WHO in Iraq would have to ask? Maliki, our paid dog? Or their parliament?

* speaks in generalities, and the press lets him get away with it. If WHO in Iraq asked the U.S. to leave, would * obey? The country itself can't ask, so WHO would * consider representative enough?

My guess is that whoever asked such a thing, * would come back and say that OTHERS in Iraq didn't want the U.S. to leave.

Catcha-twenty-two-a.

[krkaufman]

29. This is Bush's only out, and he may well take it.

Bush would be wise to push the Iraqi Parliament for a stay/go vote, and get the frack out if the Iraqis are kind enough to vote us out.

[rodeodance]

30. guess we have to write to the Iraqi parliment (per Keith O.)