Iraqi prime minister: U.S. troop departure by end of 2011 'sealed'

[cal04]

Source: The Hill

The Iraqi prime minister says U.S. troops must leave that country, as planned, by the end of next year.

"The last American soldier will leave Iraq" as agreed, Nouri al-Maliki said in an extensive interview with The Wall Street Journal. "This agreement is not subject to extension, not subject to alteration. It is sealed."

He said Iraqi forces — and the newly seated government — are prepared to handle the country's own security.

(snip)
"Not a single militia or gang can confront Iraqi forces and take over a street or a house," said Mr. Maliki. "This is finished; we are comfortable about that."

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/135237-iraqi-prime-minister-us-forces-must-leave-by-end-of-2011

[Poll_Blind]

1. What's the US without a war?

:cry:

PB

[Thav]

2. Don't worry...

We still have Afghanistan right now. But Iran and N. Korea are becoming good potential profit centers for the MIC.

[Lasher]

3. Troops? What troops? I thought they left by the end of August.

Well, not counting the part where Obama said during the campaign that he would have them out by May 20. Then he changed that deadline to the end of August and reclassified 50,000 remaining troops as 'noncombat' soldiers so that they don't count.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4487768#4488351

But it looks like al-Maliki thinks the 48,000 remaining US soldiers (scroll to page 19) still count. He must be wrong. Otherwise we've been following George Bush's schedule all along, and the big deal in August was just window dressing to make it seem we haven't.

[BobbyBoring]

4. What

What does what Iraq wants have to do with anything? It's our war and we'll leave when we damn well please (translates to never).

[cal04]

5. Iraq Wants the U.S. Out

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204685004576045700275218580.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ruled out the presence of any U.S. troops in Iraq after the end of 2011, saying his new government and the country's security forces were capable of confronting any remaining threats to Iraq's security, sovereignty and unity.

Mr. Maliki spoke with The Wall Street Journal in a two-hour interview, his first since Iraq ended nine months of stalemate and seated a new government after an inconclusive election, allowing Mr. Maliki to begin a second term as premier.

A majority of Iraqis—and some Iraqi and U.S. officials—have assumed the U.S. troop presence would eventually be extended, especially after the long government limbo. But Mr. Maliki was eager to draw a line in his most definitive remarks on the subject. "The last American soldier will leave Iraq" as agreed, he said, speaking at his office in a leafy section of Baghdad's protected Green Zone. "This agreement is not subject to extension, not subject to alteration. It is sealed."

He also said that even as Iraq bids farewell to U.S. troops, he wouldn't allow his nation to be pulled into alignment with Iran, despite voices supporting such an alliance within his government.

[martymar64]

6. Does that count mercenaries?