Rachel Maddow's statement to Olbermann

[vaberella]

May I ask if anyone knows why Rachel Maddow was all up in a tizzy and acting self-righteous about the troops coming out? If I remember Obama's speeches and statements in the past or during his run, he always said he would be removing MOST of the troops out of Iraq in 18 months, I never heard 16 months...just that 16 was a proposal, but he was pushing for more along the lines of 18. Now because of more information he's going by 19 months.

Now this is what pisses me off about and got me angry at Rachel Maddow, Obama made promises due to the information he knew that could of course change when he became President. But there were some things he was pushing for. I don't see how much of a difference one month is and the plan that is going to take place. I was always under the impression that there would still be troops left over to make sure what happened in Pakistan over 20 years ago doesn't happen in Iraq. So that was a gimme, but also the fact that his was always an average. It was NEVER something really in stone but a round about. So if it was 16 months great. IF it's about 20, that's decent. If it was more than 20, I'd be a bit weary but glad they're coming out. However he's chooosing 18 AND the rest, or probably 95% will be out by 2011.

So why was a she going all indignant tonight?! This was on Keith's show by the way.

[babylonsister]

1. I did hear 16 months, but Obama also said he'd leave

a residual force there. DUer tyne dug this up...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5125042&mesg_id=5125285

snip//

Under the Obama-Biden plan, a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel.

[Clio the Leo]

2. And WHY are they putting on this big show when they KNOW we're all watching Cspan!!! lol

Missed it!

[Top Cat]

3. Because Rachel has turned into an arrogant bit-h

[ShortnFiery]

5. I happen to agree with Rachel.

Guess that's what makes this country free and me "far left?" :hi:

[Hieronymus]

8. Perhaps Rachel's critics lack the intelligence to appreciate her abilities.

[DRoseDARs]

16. If you're going to call her a bitch, spell it like an adult.

Key-ryst, you have Huey Freeman as your avatar. You think he'd put up with that shit or call you out on it?

[jillan]

4. I didn't see it, but if she keeps this up we are going to have to start an email campaign.

[panader0]

6. I'd still like to see all of our troops home tomorrow.

59% of our budget is spent on "defense". 5% on health care. It's not defense when we are in another country, it's offense. We can be safer, stronger, and have a better economy if we bring 'em all home.

[RoccoR5955]

7. Rachel is in a tizzy because...

... because this breaks a campaign promise, and a lot of us voted for him because he said that he would bring the troops home. Now it appears that he is making it 19 instead of 16 months. What's next, 20, 30, 48 months? The troops should have NEVER been in Iraq in the first place. If they are out in 2011, that would make this an 8 year war! No, bring them home NOW, bring them home as soon as possible.
Personally, I laud Rachel for bringing up this point, and am so mad, that I will finally take the Obama stickers off of the car tomorrow morning, in the daylight! War is wrong, no matter what, and the current one should end, and we should not have those troops redeployed to Afghanistan, either! No more wars, I don't care who it's against.

[vaberella]

9. Once again I figured it was an estimate.

Again, the information that he has when he's a Senator and the information that he has when he's a President can be two different things. What he is privy too is not what we are. So I figured it was an estimate.

Second of all...you're yelling bring them home NOW. But the problem is, Pakistan was jumped ship very early on and we left them a disaster and helped along some seriously fucked up blowback. WE need to make this as easy a transition that the fool Bushed us into. This was probably outside of his control and he didn't want to risk any more things than possible. IN any event he's getting rid of everyone or 95% if any out by 2011...and yeah it would be an 8 year war. But it was an 8 year he didn't put us in, and has been trying to get us out. McCain would have keeped our ass in it.

Third thing is that if he was President we would NEVER have been in Iraq. Give the man a break. Or I'm giving him the best I can because I know how difficult this must be and I know there is only so much information that I KNOW. That being said, I still don't know what Rachel is hounding about because we could be stuck for 23 months rather than a 2-3 month extention...it could have been another 7 months.

[MrPerson]

10. They're leaving 30 to 50,000 troops indefinitely.

[vaberella]

11. No they're not...Please get the facts before spouting your statements.

President Obama is expected to announce this week that he will withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by August 2010, 19 months after his inauguration. Obama’s plan will initially leave a “residual force” of 30,000 to 50,000 troops. “A further withdrawal will take place before December 2011, the period by which the U.S. agreed with Iraq to remove all American troops.” Obama was also considering 16-month and 23-month timetables; the 19-month time frame was reportedly a “compromise.”

Check out the operative word: "ALL"
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/24/obama-iraq-19-months/


And here is what Obama said on his campaign trail:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5125042&mesg_id=5125285

[MrPerson]

13. That makes me feel a little better. But is still is too long.

[vaberella]

15. Well.

He's always said that ALL troops would be out after a few brigades or a certain amount of troops. That was always the case. He's just pushed the mark by 3 months. But he's still maintained the number of months for the rest.

[OwnedByFerrets]

12. Rachael has every right to be concerned...I share it....if you dont

thats YOUR choice. MY concern is MY choice.

[liberalsince1968]

14. Unlike repug pundits, democratic pundits aren't shilling echo chambers.

THAT'S why.