US and UK look for early way out of Iraq

[rainbow4321]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1396221,00.html

Private memos are circulating in Washington, Baghdad and London setting out detailed scenarios for withdrawal of US and British forces from Iraq as early as possible, a Foreign Office source said yesterday.

The policy papers have added urgency because a new Iraq government, to be elected next week if the election goes ahead on January 30 as planned, could set a target date for withdrawal

John Negroponte, US ambassador to Baghdad, confirmed that a United Nations resolution declared that US and other forces would have to leave if requested by the Iraqi government. "If that's the wish of the government of Iraq, we will comply with those wishes. But no, we haven't been approached on this issue - although obviously we stand prepared to engage the future government on any issue concerning our presence here."

The Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence were dis mayed by the assessment of specialists sent out to review the progress of the Iraqi army. Only 5,000 of the 120,000-strong army was classified as being well enough trained to be dependable

[Taxloss]

1. I wouldn't put it past Blair to yank out the troops the day

after the elections. Why not? Iraq's free, job done. Can't have bodies piling up as we go for a third term!

DUers: there is a phrase that should chill you. "A third term". No term limits here.

[leesa]

6. Well, what would Bush do without his favorite lap dog??

[Taxloss]

8. Who cares? Blair's ratings would rise if he ditched Bush.

Bush is a pariah. 60-70% of the British people oppose him.

I'm even wrestling with the issue myself, as I wrote today:

http://taxloss.blogspot.com/2005/01/lib-dem-thing.html

[Kagemusha]

2. Weasel words

The US considers this yet another interim government, right? At least until there's a constitution written and 'real' elections held later.

So the US wouldn't be being asked by a 'real' government, just an elected interim government.

[MichiganVote]

3. They are only saying what people want to hear

[pinniped]

4. Why don't we hear more about these 14 military bases?

I bet more than 80% of the population aren't aware of its existence.

[leesa]

7. I just talked with a military guy who had been there that insisted we

built these for the Iraqi army! He also said he had been greeted in Iraq with cheers and flowers and that the Saddam statue pull-down was not staged. The guy was drunk on Kool-Aid. Did you know we went to war because Iraq had thoughts of plans for WMDs???

[pinniped]

11. The super large embassy was built for Iraqis too.

I'm sure they didn't forget to build mosques on them so the Iraqi soldiers can pray.

It is pretty sad how so many people drank from the bottomless well of Kool-Aid.

[CoffeeCat]

5. We're such scum...

We need to stay until the Iraqi people are safe. We can't just abandon them. It appears as if Bush is looking for an early way out.

This is just sick.

This bastard lied his way into this and couldn't get into Iraq fast enough. He gets in, kills more than 100,000 innocent civilians, destroys the infrastructure and is now planning a premature exit. How utterly immoral, evil and disgusting can one administration be?

I was totally against the war from the beginning, but if we went in and destroyed everything--we need to mop up the mess.

Why do they want to get out early??? My guess is that they know they can't invade other countries while we're hung up in Iraq. While our military and dollars are being funneled into Iraq, it weakens their position on subsequent invasions.

These pieces of trash deserve to be stomped on, spat upon and put in a prison, stacked into pyramids and then forced to pose for pictures that will bee showcased in a special Vogue "Fascists of the Universe Get Their Just Desserts" issue.

[leesa]

9. Wrong. We have no credibility there. We can't help them even if we wanted

to, which Bush certainly does not. They do not trust us and they know we will continue to shoot and bomb them.

We MUST leave. Perhaps the UN or some other International group can help them, but we can't.

WE are the problem.

[CoffeeCat]

10. You make a good point...

If we continue to bomb and shoot them--then I guess we shouldn't be there.

However, it's pretty sick that we tore their country apart and traumatized an entire nation--and now we get to scoot on out.

It just seems that we have a responsibility to help these people.

BushCo was like a tsunami that rolled in. I understand why people woudl hate the tsunami and want it to leave--but it's unfair.

This is yet another example of Bush creating a mess for which he is not held accountable.

It sickens me.

[reprobate]

12. He CAN'T pull our troops out. You forget the original PNAC purpose.

Please recall the statements of the PNAC papers. The reason for invading the middle east was to secure the area and it's oil for America, and by controlling the middle east, to dominate the rest of the world.

Pulling out of Iraq would obviate that purpose. Unless, or course, the troops were pulled out of Iraq only to be used to invade Iran and Syria.

You are however, right in the statement that WE are the problem. I have the feeling tho that this will not last too much longer. The world is beginning to wake up and start to oppose the insane one.

[NYC]

14. Correct, so why talk about leaving?

I really don't understand this. Unless it is all talk, and we will be there for eternity.

[wildwww2]

16. But I also heard from many Republicans that there was no way Bu$h

would get a second term. But many of us knew. That if they did not stop the theft of the election. We would still have him and his cockroaches. Infesting our Democratic Republic kitchen. We won`t leave Iraq until the oil can be piped out properly. We may fake an exit. Like we have fake elections. Thanks to a fake liberal media. But leaving for real will take real leadership. And not these greedy crooks at the helm. Mark my words.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[Guns Aximbo]

13. This is really important news.

Bush wants to "cut and run".

[wellst0nev0ter]

15. And He'll Find A Way To Blame Liberals Afterwards

can't put anything past him.

[sweetheart]

17. vandals cut and run

THey want the army out for more imperial campaigns, as any pragmatist
knows, 1 war at a time. "the economist" put it well, describing bush
as a radical, but to cut and run on your own revolution is merely
vandalism.

They realize that the situation in iraq will only deteriorate for them
and that the political costs of the deaths will topple their ambitions.
Russia, China and Iran all realize this as well, that the insurgency
near their borders will surely get a passive nod to keep the american
blitzkrieg at bay.

[Moderator]

18. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1172489