US to pull troops out of Iraq at the end of 2011 (Associated Press)

[ClarkUSA]

"The Associated Press said it had learned that the U.S. would pull out fully by January, ending more than eight years of U.S. involvement in the Iraq war. ... a senior Obama administration official in Washington confirmed Saturday that all American troops will leave Iraq except for about 160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.

A senior U.S. military official confirmed the departure" to the AP... "Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue."

Read more: http://tinyurl.com/presidentobamaendediraqwar


End of an era: The closure of Camp Victory after eight years

AP: U.S. drops keeping troops in Iraq (USAToday.com)

BAGHDAD (AP) – The U.S. is abandoning plans to keep U.S. troops in Iraq past a year-end withdrawal deadline, The Associated Press has learned. The decision to pull out fully by January will effectively end more than eight years of U.S. involvement in the Iraq war, despite ongoing concerns about its security forces and the potential for instability.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2011-10-15/Iraq-withdrawal-war-troops/50786604/1?csp=34news

[Tx4obama]

1. Article says: 'by' January. So, it's the end of December! :) n/t

[joshcryer]

12. I've seen reports where we're just going to leave the equipment, so I bet before Christmas.

Would be a nice surprise for the kids. :)

[Tx4obama]

16. Half of what was in Iraq has already gone to Afghanistan

A whole shit load of equipment, supplies, etc was already packed up and sent to Afghanistan.


My DU comment #42 from a few months ago: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4906482&mesg_id=4906546

2009 article: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/08/army_drawdown_082409w

2010 article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/world/01logistics.html

[msongs]

2. you have linked to a denial from the pentagon nt

[ClarkUSA]

3. They didn't deny this was happening. There are oodles of news stories on this --->

http://news.google.com/news/story?client=safari&rls=en&q=obama+to+pull+out+all+troops+in+iraq+by+january&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ncl=dPSuMDBMRqNYK4MHwvarPh2M4AOUM&hl=en&ei=M3-aTuCQJ8Ph0QHmzrW2BA&sa=X&oi=news_result&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CBoQqgIwAA

[Tx4obama]

4. The info/link in the OP from the UK is wrong, the news folks overseas got it wrong.

This WRONG ---> http://tinyurl.com/obamadeservesnobelpeaceprize

This has info that is CORRECT ---> http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_IRAQ_US_TROOPS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-10-16-00-50-17
Excerpt:
BAGHDAD (AP) -- The U.S. is abandoning plans to keep U.S. troops in Iraq past a year-end withdrawal deadline, The Associated Press has learned. The decision to pull out fully by January will effectively end more than eight years of U.S. involvement in the Iraq war, despite ongoing concerns about its security forces and the potential for instability.
SNIP

[rocktivity]

5. And send them to Libya, Iran, and Uganda, apparently.

:eyes:
rocktivity

[ClarkUSA]

6. That's a falsehood. There are zero combat troops fighting wars in Libya, Iran, and Yemen.

[chill_wind]

7. Reuters seems to have this: Denial of AP report

No decision yet on future troop presence in Iraq: U.S.

WASHINGTON | Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:26pm EDT

(Reuters) - The Obama administration denied a news report on Saturday it had made a final decision to pull almost all U.S. troops out of Iraq by a year-end withdrawal deadline.

The White House and Pentagon both denied an Associated Press report citing unnamed U.S. officials saying they completely dropped the idea of possibly keeping a significant contingent in Iraq as trainers for Iraqi security forces beyond 2011.

(snip)

But the Obama administration insisted no decision had been reached about the training relationship with Iraq or how many, if any, U.S. troops might stay past the December 31 deadline. The AP report said only about 160 soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad would stay behind."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/16/us-iraq-usa-troops-idUSTRE79F01A20111016?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

[ClarkUSA]

8. Looks like some folks let the cat out of the bag before the WH was ready to go public with the news.

"...a senior Obama administration official in Washington confirmed Saturday that all American troops will leave Iraq except for about 160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.

A senior U.S. military official confirmed the departure" to the AP.... "Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue."

Read more: http://tinyurl.com/presidentobamaendediraqwar

[woo me with science]

9. The administration is not leaving Iraq and has no plans to weaken the military industrial complex.

US plans 3 billion dollar mercenary force in Iraq for 2012
http://jhaines6.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/u-s-plans-3-billion-mercenary-force-for-iraq

Mercenary forces to double in Iraq after 2011
http://waronyou.com/topics/u-s-to-double-mercenary-forces-in-iraq-after-2011-military-pullout/

As U.S. Military Exits Iraq, Contractors To Enter
http://www.npr.org/2011/05/17/136357821/as-u-s-military-exits-iraq-contractors-to-enter


There is always isolated talk of troop drawdowns in this or that place by this administration and its mouthpieces, who conveniently neglect to mention escalations or new conflicts elsewhere or the replacement of drawn-down troops by mercenaries.

Drawdowns and end to war, my ass. War is PROFIT for the banks and corporations who hire our politicians, and they have no intention of slowing down the war machine. Draw down one place, ramp up somewhere else, or replace troops with mercenaries who cost ten times as much. Obama already has Panetta out talking about how the Super Congress must cut Social Security and Medicare rather than endangering the military budget. And off we go into new countries.

Make no mistake about it, the military industrial complex is safe under Obama:


SOCOM. Bush- 60 countries. Obama 120 countries by end of 2011
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2118912&mesg_id=2122224

US Military pushing for up to 18,000 troops to remain in Iraq
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2118912&mesg_id=2119095; http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2011/0907/Iraq-withdrawal-How-many-US-troops-will-remain

OBAMA AGREES WITH PANETTA, ENDORSES MEDICARE ‘ADJUSTMENTS’ OVER DEFENSE CUTS
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1692899

Panetta Starts Singing Contractors’ Tune After Closed-Door Meeting
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1964568

A Top Senate Dem Says Iran Plot May Be Act Of War
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x5024359

[Tx4obama]

10. Which one of those links are from TODAY? NONE !!!

You posting a bunch of OLD links is not helping your argument.

Read some articles from TODAY regarding Our Troops coming home by the end of December 2011 :)

[woo me with science]

13. You are welcome to post all the brand new information on all the mercenaries

who will no longer be remaining in or going to Iraq next year. Surely there are some good articles about all the money we will save.

Go for it, Tex.

Also, you are welcome to post anything suggesting that Panetta will no longer fight cuts to the defense budget. I believe he made another statement to the contrary as recently as this week.

And tell me, in how many fewer countries does the US have military presence, since the post I linked above?

Even the issue of troops remaining in Iraq is not settled. This September 7 piece indicates that the Pentagon was then still pushing for as many as 18,000 troops to remain. And as recently as today, the White House was denying that it had made a final decision about withdrawing completely (look upthread).

It is a very weak debate technique to complain that links are "old" when you cannot present any evidence to suggest that the information in them is no longer valid.

I look forward to your extensive new information about all the mercenaries who will NOT be in Iraq, all the countries that no longer have US presence, and Leon Panetta's magical change of tune.


The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. I will repeat: The military industrial complex need not worry about its future under this President.

[Tx4obama]

15. I will not allow you to ruin the good buzz I have right now about the good news

of our TROOPS coming home by the end of the year :)

The OP is NOT about cutting the defense budget that is still needed in all parts of the world,
or about mercenaries/contractors (who are free to leave anytime they wish).

It is sad that some folks can't take a time out and enjoy good news!

So, goodnight and have a nice Sunday.

[joshcryer]

11. Another promise kept.

[Tx4obama]

14. Yes :)

And I do hope that the majority of them are home and with their families for Christmas :)
And I hope that the airlines here in the USA have extra planes during the holiday season to get them all to the home towns in time for Christmas dinner.

[Duer 157099]

17. ...and send them right to Afghanistan no doubt n/t

[ClarkUSA]

18. Wrong. FACT: "U.S. Prepares Afghans To Take Over" (October 13, 2011, The New York Times)

OBSERVATION POST TWINS, Afghanistan — Much of what the Pentagon hopes to accomplish in Afghanistan before withdrawing most of its forces by 2014 is visible from this small, sandbagged mountaintop... American military officers now brief from a shorter list. A top item reads “transition,” the label for an endgame: turning over Afghanistan to American-financed Afghan forces in ways that... should allow most of the Pentagon’s troops an exit and leave behind a partner for future counterterrorism efforts.

<snip>

“We have a plan for deliberate transition,” Captain Halstead said. “By next year we will leave the bowl, and it will be the Afghans’ to secure.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/14/world/asia/us-prepares-handoff-to-afghans-in-border-region.html