Poll: When will all US combat forces actually be withdrawn from Iraq?

[Lasher]

President Obama promised during his campaign that he would withdraw US combat forces from Iraq within 16 months from his inauguration, which would have been by May 20, 2010. Now he's saying they will all be out by August 2010, which would make it 19 months.

When do you think US combat forces will really be out of Iraq?

[Make7]

1. When the oil runs out. ( n/t )

[NavyDavy]

2. oh gosh he had to go a few more months before he could

safely withdrawel our troops from Iraq get the pitchforks ready so we can storm the Whitehouse :sarcasm:

[Lasher]

3. So which promise was I supposed to believe the 16 month one or the 19 month one?

Or don't you think Obama's campaign promise for a 16 month withdrawal was important? He broke it just five weeks into his presidency. It doesn't matter if it's a few more days, weeks, or months. He broke his promise. Don't you think that's a pretty good indication he won't feel particularly obliged to stick to the 19 month timeline either?

If you had lived through Nixon's secret plan you might be more skeptical. But then again you have Lord Vader's big adventure in Iraq to draw upon for enlightenment. It was supposed to be over long ago with a quick easy victory, remember? How many last throes can one insurgency have?

When leaders want to keep the nation entangled in a war against the public will, this is exactly the way it plays out. Like boiling a frog.

[HubertHeaver]

4. The troops will be re-designated into non-combat roles.

They won't actually leave.

[Lasher]

5. That shoe has already dropped.

There is really no such thing as a non-combat soldier. And yet 50K are being designated as such to remain in Iraq for a very long time.

But Obama made clear during his campaign that he would leave some 'non-combat' military, however they are to be defined, in Iraq after the promised 16 month withdrawal interval for 'combat' soldiers. So although I would like to see every single soldier our of Iraq, and the sooner the better, I'm not really taking issue at that right now.

Your point is a good one though. They are working both angles: Designate a huge number of them as 'non-combat', and make perpetual adjustments due to 'conditions on the ground' to keep the rest there forever.

My point is this: I trusted Obama to keep his word on this very important promise. He didn't. I no longer trust him to get our soldiers out of Iraq.