Gates: Some U.S. Troops May Be Leaving Iraq Early

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Gates: some US troops may be leaving Iraq early

By ANNE GEARAN (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
July 29, 2009 7:34 AM EDT

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRPLANE - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday he sees "some chance of a modest acceleration" in the pace of U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq. Gates, returning from a trip to Iraq, told reporters aboard his plane that perhaps one combat brigade would come out of Iraq ahead of schedule. He did not give a precise timetable.

- snip -

President Barack Obama has announced plans to withdraw American combat forces from Iraq by Aug. 31, 2010, leaving 30,000 to 50,000 U.S. troops in advising and training roles until the end of 2011.

U.S. officials had been worried that last month's scheduled handover of security to Iraqi security forces might erode security gains that had already been made. However, Gates said Odierno told him the security situation there was going well.

The defense secretary told reporters "there is at least some chance of a modest acceleration" in the pace of U.S. troop withdrawal.

Read more: http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20090729/4a6fd750_3421_1334520090729-1236415337

[dipsydoodle]

1. All UK troops have already left.

UK troops in Iraq moved to Kuwait

All remaining British troops in Iraq have been relocated to Kuwait because the Iraqi government has yet to extend their right to remain.

A mandate allowing UK forces to stay in Iraq expires on 31 July and about 150 personnel have been moved out until an agreement is reached.

The mandate has not yet passed its third reading in the Iraqi parliament.

Most UK troops have already been withdrawn from Iraq but some remained to train the new Iraqi navy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8172893.stm

[sofa king]

2. Does that include those who find themselves dead, maimed, or insane?

Because those kind of early departures are going to continue until all of them are gone.

[RC]

3. It is already too late to be leaving early.

We should not have been there in the first place.