U.S. does not plan permanent Iraq bases

[sabra]

http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20050815-093442-8786r

U.S. does not plan permanent Iraq bases

BAGHDAD -- The U.S. ambassador to Iraq has said his country has no plans to set up permanent military bases in the Arab country it has occupied since April 2003.

...


He refused to talk about a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Iraq, saying, "They will stay on as long as there is a need for them and as long as security conditions necessitated that presence.

"We are not seeking to maintain permanent bases in Iraq," he said, stressing that the United States will conduct negotiations in the future with an elected Iraqi government on the fate of its military presence.

"Our military presence is mainly aimed at helping Iraq take care of the affairs of its citizens and the region. ... This region is very important for us and the whole world, and problems arising in that region necessarily affect the rest of the countries in the world," Khalil Zadeh said.

[SoCalDem]

1. Operative word is "plan"...

the bases are DONE..where do we think all the money went?? Building those "bases"..and the ones "just across the border" in the other "stans"..

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. Every "plan" so far has been

seat-of-your-pants strategy. That they admit they "have no plan" is profound truth, for once.

[arwalden]

17. Other Operative Word Is "Permanent"... Who Defines What "Permanent" Is?

Does "permanent" mean "until the United States ceases to exist" or does it mean "100 years"?

I suppose someone could make an argument that 100 years isn't REALLY permanent in the grand scheme of things.

They are up to their usual word games again.

[wallwriter]

2. They're not permanent. They'll be abandoned

when the oil runs out.

[IndianaGreen]

3. While Bush is in denial, some of his people know the war is lost

but they are afraid to come out and say so publicly. Vietnam part deux.

[Roland99]

4. No plans because they're probably already in place.

Or, no plans, yet. Just waiting for that "constitutional democracy" to "officially" form.


Fucking joke.

[Barrett808]

5. Yes, they have already been constructed

What makes them "not permanent"?

[cliss]

21. Yes, I've seen photos of them.

They look very permanent to me. They have a cement foundation poured under them. There are walls, doors, fencing around the place.

There are some mobile homes standing around - maybe those are the ones they'll be moving.

As long as their Lips are moving, they're lying.

[Benhurst]

6. And God don't make little green apples, and it don't

rain in Indianapolis in the summertime ... . Yeah. Sure.

[Art_from_Ark]

27. Priceless

Thanks for the laugh :hi:

[SouthernDem2004]

7. They are not "permanent." Eventually the sun will explode, thus

no more bases. So therefor they are not permanent.

[bananas]

10. The official terminology is "enduring" base

"permanent" means forever,
"enduring" means a very long time.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2004/040323-enduring-bases.htm

[punpirate]

8. The key to this is to look for news of...

... a status of forces agreement between whatever government emerges from the Constitution-drawing process and elections in December. A status of forces agreement is the long-term document allowing US troops to remain on Iraq territory.

If the Shia don't think they can maintain a Shia-majority government or withstand continuing attacks from Sunnis and independents, they'll sign one and it will be a fait accompli.

[reprobate]

15. This mornings paper said "Shia's consider gov't without Sunni's".

This of course will mean civil war, and the one thing you can be sure that will bring is that EVERYONE will be targetting our troops, with Iran's help.

And Iran would love to see our military run out of Iraq, which they will help to happen.

Damn, Geoge. When you fuck up, you FUCK UP!

[BiggJawn]

9. Halliburton used sub-standard materials...

So the damn things will start crumbling in about 15 years.

See? They're not "permanent"...

Oh, I forgot, we PAID for top-drawer materials. Cheney pocketed the difference.

[Efilroft Sul]

11. "That's just bullshit."

Whoops, I typed that in Novak!

[Lerkfish]

12. you beat me to it.

I was going to say "riiiiiiiiiight, and monkey will fly outta my butt".
so, similar.

[Kipling]

13. Yeah, in 100 years global warming will have flooded the whole country.

Til then, don't hold your breath!

[Betsy Ross]

14. Ya wanna buy the Brooklyn Bridge? n/t

[leftchick]

18. semantics. The pentagon does not call the bases permanent

They are called "enduring bases". :eyes:

[Zorra]

19. Republicans are masters of the the black art of deceit through language.

Nothing is permanent.

[The_Casual_Observer]

20. Are billions typically spent on temporary facilities?

Concrete foundations, steel structures, roads and road improvements, utilities- water/gas/electric, runways? Billions have been spent/are being spent on these things all over Iraq. Some of the places are the size of cities with tens of thousands of people milling around.

[deacon2]

22. Horse Hockey

More semantical gymnastics from Obfuscation Central.

[goodhue]

23. The military now calls them "enduring" bases, not permanent

In any event, the plan is for them to be there for a very long time . . .

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/iraq-intro.htm

[fshrink]

24. US lies through its nose.

But this time around it's not about extra-marital affairs but about the fate of the planet.

[VegasWolf]

25. I don't suspect the new government will let Bush stay their and take their

oil.

[rocktivity]

26. Bush is building 14 of them, PLUS the world's largest embassy

But they can be OCCUPIED by US forces as long they don't MAINTAIN them, is that it?

:headbang:
rocknation

[old blue]

28. Of course not. We plan permanent *U.S.* bases.

In Iraq.

[cmd]

30. good catch

You are exactly right.

[mtnester]

29. Here is a great follow up to this story: