U.S. Laying Groundwork for Iraq Pullout

[bemildred]

<snip>

Among the signs that the United States is pressing a faster transition to Iraqi-led security, to open the way for a U.S. withdrawal:

• After taking up his post last month as U.S. ambassador to Baghdad, Zalmay Khalilzad announced the creation of a U.S.-Iraq task force to develop a strategy and conditions for transferring the security responsibility from the U.S.-led coalition forces to the Iraqis. "Our common goal is to help Iraq stand on its own feet as quickly as possible," Khalilzad said, adding that this would allow for a phased U.S. pullout.

• Last weekend Iraqi police and a brigade of the 5th Iraqi Army Division formally took full control of an area in Diyala Province, to the northeast of Baghdad, known as Khalis Qadah, replacing a U.S. Army unit. Col. Archie Davis, spokesman for Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said the transition was made because the Iraqis had demonstrated their proficiency at fighting the insurgents without U.S. support.

• Mowaffak Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser, said Monday that several cities in the more stable south and north had been identified as areas where withdrawal of foreign forces could likely start soon. The cities included Najaf, Karbala, Samawah, Diwaniyah and Nasiriyah in the heavily Shiite Muslim south, and possibly Irbil and Sulaymaniyah in the predominantly Kurdish north.

</snip>

Yahoo

[ironman202]

1. let the civil war begin...

[leftchick]

2. with a Huge caveat....

<snip>

It also assumes the insurgency does not get worse — and that Iraqi security forces prove themselves ready for combat.

If the U.S. were to withdraw before the Iraqis were ready, the American sacrifices of the past 2 1/2 years could be lost — and President Bush would face pressure to explain why the invasion was worth it.



Well there goes that plan.

:eyes:

[krkaufman]

6. Except who will apply this pressure?

The media hasn't demonstrated the ability to hold this Administration accountable. And Dems either don't have the spine or media access to make much of a noise.

You can pretty much bank on Bush pulling out large percentages of the troops prior to the 2006 mid-term elections -- since it's all about politics, not policy.

[meganmonkey]

3. But won't that embolden the terrorists? And then we'll have to fight them

over here? Isn't that what you've been saying? I'm confused. And scared :scared:

[montanacowboy]

4. But it's all meant to affect the MID TERMS

that's what it's all about

when did these monsters ever do anything that was not politically calculated for their own benefit?

[Ian David]

5. Iraq Exit Strategy

[Delphinus]

7. Thank you for posting those.

Can I ask a question? I was too young when the Vietnam War was going on, but we just left one day, didn't we? We pulled out (which is what these pictures are all about, yes?) and left the country. Then what happened?

I hope I don't come across sounding really stupid - I'm just very ignorant of what happened in Vietnam. TIA.

[Ian David]

8. Check these pages

Fall of Saigon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Fall of Saigon, (known also as the Liberation of Saigon) on April 30, 1975, saw the capture of the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon, by the North Vietnamese Army. A massive evacuation of diplomats, foreign nationals, and Vietnamese refugees occurred before the city fell. It marked the end of the Vietnam War.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Saigon



Also:

Fall of Saigon Marine Association - Vietnam War
http://www.fallofsaigon.org/story.htm

[Larkspur]

9. And wasn't the pullout from Vietnam followed by Watergate and Nixon's

resignation?

Pulling out of Iraq certainly raises more questions on the validity of invading it in the first place. Fitzgerald's upcoming indictments will most likely occur long before pullout begins, unless of course, the pullout is meant to overshadow the indictments of White House officials who helped sell the Iraq War to the American public to begin with.

[Laughing Mirror]

10. That old familiar tune ...

Thanks for that excellent pictoral reminder. I hope it is not as long a wait before Iraqis throw US out. This time.

[AmandaRuth]

11. I don't think this can be taken as anything

but CYA for the mid-terms.

I pray for the average everyday Iraqis who will be drawn into the violence not of their own making.

[Skink]

12. Pulling out of Iraq..like when Bremmer left under the cover of darkness..

Once they've finished sucking the American tax payer dry is when we get out.

[Az_lefty]

13. Li'l Boots already said there ain't gonna be no pull out...

so we're just gonna have to keep on fightin while he take his well earned vacation.
:sarcasm: