Iraq rejects US request to maintain bases after troop withdrawal

[Turborama]

Source: The Guardian

Ewen MacAskill in Washington | Friday October 21 2011 20.37 BST

The US suffered a major diplomatic and military rebuff on Friday when Iraq finally rejected its pleas to maintain bases in the country beyond this year.

=snip=

Obama attempted to make the most of it by presenting the withdrawal as the fulfilment of one of his election promises.

=snip=

But he had already announced this earlier this year, and the real significance today was in the failure of Obama, in spite of the cost to the US in dollars and deaths, to persuade the Iraqi president Nouri al-Maliki to allow one or more American bases to be kept in the country.

=snip=

Although the US is pulling out all troops, it will keep its embassy in Baghdad and two consulates. There will also be about 4,000-5,000 defence contractors, White House aides said.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/21/iraq-rejects-us-plea-bases

[Zorro]

1. Guess the US achieved its goal to establish democracy in Iraq

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. I thought we had bought and paid for al-Maliki .

Did he turn on us or did TPTB mis-judge him?

[teddy51]

6. He is GW Bush's man actually. Don't expect much from him in Obama's world! n/t

[PearliePoo2]

3. Oh oh...a little glitch.

All those bases we spent gazillions on, thinking we'd be there forever. Oops!

[Renew Deal]

18. Permanent Bases Built in Iraq

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x951711

[PatrynXX]

24. yeah and some twit (Bachman) thinks they should repay us

No , we probably owe them for a very long time, but the least they can do is kick us out... maybe it's planned this way though... This was just a sideshow to show Jr was better than Sr. Had nothing to do with Obama.

We have more credit in Libya, than Iraq. We have Bush's method. both of them. 20 some years then we have Obama's version 8 months or whatever.... could go longer there's Reagans approach. Libya 30 some years. but hey it took to long for Obama to finish it. o_O

once upon a time Republicans knew how to fight wars. Now it's resulted in Billo's book (don't approve of this normally but the excuse is good) being burned for warmth. Hey if the soldiers need something to burn for warmth, how bout all these old outdated textbooks one finds and throws out. Only books we really toss. Hate doing it, but who would want textbooks from the 50's and 60's.. in hardcover..

[LuvNewcastle]

4. So America spent $700 billion on this

misbegotten war and won't even have a base left there when all is said and done. The taxpayers further enriched the defense contractors, however, so I guess that means "Mission Accomplished."

[emilyg]

11. Worth every billion

:thumbsdown:

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[teddy51]

9. Obama as a constitutional Lawyer, and Professor, and deserves absolutely no credit

for his failure to investigate (at least) the Bush Administration crimes, and a reopening of investigations of 911.

[teddy51]

7. But don't worry, cause there is very little chance that GW or Cheney will

be brought up on the number of charges that they should face.

[ProSense]

8. This article

makes no sense. The notion that the President had a conference call and then announced full withdrawal moments later is ridiculous.

September 26: U.S. To Hand Over Iraq Bases, Equipment Worth Billions

[Kokonoe]

20. Mix in Secretary of State Clinton's surprise overseas visit.

Blend 20 seconds. OK, I guess its a fitting end.

[bertman]

10. Two RECS, then my REC added equals two RECS. Hmmm. Somebody don't like the truth.

You'd think those Iraqis would be grateful to us for all of that money we spent on our extended stay there.

Empire is a hard sell to the people you're imperializing OVER.

[emilyg]

13. I got it to 4.

[ChandlerJr]

12. Candidate Obama promised the American people

that U.S. troops would leave Iraq as soon as possible if he were elected president. Then, after winning the election, he pledged to bring all troops home by the end of this year, as required by the Status of Forces Agreement that President Bush negotiated with Iraq.

http://www.progressive.org/mpshamoo061311.html

[PearliePoo2]

14. Hey...wait a minute...

Why do you need bases if you're bringing the troops home? Huh?

[Renew Deal]

15. That's some of the best bad news I've ever heard.

:D

[Poll_Blind]

22. Heh heh, I know what you mean! nt

PB

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bhikkhu]

17. Those lemons make some great lemonade!

...who exactly would call getting our military out of there at last "failure"? The timing seems to be fine, and it will probably strengthen and stabilize the Iraqi government as well.

[Bozita]

19. Good! ... Let BigOilCo pay for their own security.

Oooops, ... they already did?

Politicians are great. Everybody of substance ought to buy a bunch.

[Enthusiast]

21. "They'll greet us as liberators!"

:patriot: :rofl:

[Tx4obama]

23. The article is BULLSHIT - and a negative smear

Obama decided AT LEAST four days ago (when it was leaked) that he was pulling out all the troops from Iraq.

The OP says: " ... US suffered a major diplomatic and military rebuff on Friday ..."

That is BULLSHIT and NOT true.

Why is it that so many of The Guardian's articles that have been posted lately have misinformation and are Obama bashing articles?

Does Murdock own that newspaper/website ???

[slay]

26. He "decided" that because they kicked us out - were going to - and he knew it. Keith talked about it

tonight on his show. You're believing wayyyy too much of the pro-Obama at all costs propaganda which you post constantly.

[Tx4obama]

27. Bull. Read the article on the link in comment #8

President Obama decided a LONG TIME AGO that we'd be out of Iraq by the end of December 2011.

Also, Obama did not talk with Maliki until Friday morning.

It was SEVERAL DAYS AGO when the news first broke/leaked that Obama was going to pull our troops out by the end of the year.

This was OBAMA's decision.


Edited to add ...
Even the republicans think it was Obama's decision.
Read this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2165255&mesg_id=2165255

[slay]

28. I did - they kicked us out - and hey look I have an article I linked to too:

Obama would have extended the time if he could - they said no. I don't see how you don't get this. Well it's you and "ProSense" - I do understand why you are saying what you are saying even though it's not true. :eyes:

"Iraq kicks US troops out of the country"
Published: 21 October, 2011, 22:52

President Obama announced this afternoon that US troops will finally be out of Iraq by the year’s end.

Though this had been the president’s plan since he first campaigned for office, until the very last moment US diplomats and leading military officials tried to ink a secret plan that would allow Americans to stay in Iraq for years to come.

more: http://rt.com/usa/news/iraq-us-troops-obama-453/

[dipsydoodle]

29. Does Murdock own that newspaper/website ???

With their circulation , 232,566 for September , he'd have closed it by now. No - he doesn't own it.

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=48050&c=1

[slay]

25. Good for them

i'd kick our invading/occupying ass out too.