U.S. ambassador: America is facing long stay in Iraq

[Judi Lynn]

April 24, 2006, 10:20PM
U.S. ambassador: America is facing long stay in Iraq
Baghdad envoy says effort extends to the entire region

By BORZOU DARAGAHI
Los Angeles Times

BAGHDAD, IRAQ - The U.S. ambassador here on Monday urged war-weary Americans to dig in for the long haul: a years-long effort to transform Iraq and the surrounding region, now one of the world's major trouble spots.

"We must perhaps reluctantly accept that we have to help this region become a normal region, the way we helped Europe and Asia in another era," Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said in an interview. "Now it's this area from Pakistan to Morocco that we should focus on."

Khalilzad, an Afghan immigrant to the U.S. who has for years advocated an aggressive effort to bring democracy to the Muslim world, predicted the long-term American effort to "shape the future of this region" will continue regardless of which party controls the White House, how many troops remain in Iraq and what tactics and strategies are employed.

"The world has gotten smaller and is getting smaller and smaller all the time," he said in the interview. "Isolationism, fortress America isn't going to deal with these problems of the kind that we're facing. Willy-nilly, this is our destiny, given our preponderance in the world, our role in the world and because of our successes."
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3816685.html



Khalilzad, on _Bush's right.

[Old and In the Way]

1. Unless, of course, we impeach Bush and decide otherwise.

[Selatius]

2. We can bring democracy to the Middle East in a better way

Want to know how?

A long-term strategy of disassociation from autocratic, brutal governments that call themselves allies of the US. When the US gets a common sense energy policy together and reforms its foreign policy in a way that moves away from supporting oppressive regimes, the oppressed people will finally have a chance to face down their own oppressors without having to deal with US weapons and training being used against them.

[Oversea Visitor]

3. One billion dollars Embassy

with 14 superbases gee only 1 year who you trying to con
Congress better ask the hard question of how long to recover this money
or how long do we US taxpayer has to pay to maintain all this.

Truly these guys make no sense
What else are they going to cut to pay for all this

[Ghost Dog]

4. Sure sounds like "digging in"

(and keeping heads down while the country tears itself apart).

[Oversea Visitor]

5. Haha

That is like billions of dollars dont really know how much one superbase cost :rofl:
Think they there to stay.

Just keeping all this quiet so that people do not know
You know the below the :rofl: CNN line :rofl:

[OneBlueSky]

6. um . . . what happens if the Iraqi government actually . . .

gets their shit together and orders us to vacate the premises? . . . would BushCo stay regardless of their wishes? . . .

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. "America" never intended to leave - this is just colonization revisited.

.
.
.

Throw in their government style - rape the resources

and of course Military bases to further their global influence

But China, Russia, India and Pakistan are watching

and their nukes are are aimed accordingly

watch out George

you are on the verge of creating the beginning of the end of the USA as we know it

and some of us think that may not be a bad thing . . .

[Barrett808]

8. U.S. ambassador warns of long stay in Iraq (Khalilzad)

U.S. ambassador warns of long stay in Iraq
Khalilzad compares effort to bring democracy to Middle East with U.S. efforts to rebuild Europe and Asia after WW II
By Borzou Daragahi
LOS ANGELES TIMES

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. ambassador in Iraq on Monday urged war-weary Americans to dig in for the long haul: a yearslong effort to transform Iraq and the surrounding region, now one of the world's major trouble spots.

"We must, perhaps reluctantly, accept that we have to help this region become a normal region, the way we helped Europe and Asia in another era," Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said in an interview. "Now it's this area from Pakistan to Morocco that we should focus on."

Khalilzad, an Afghan immigrant to the U.S. who has for years advocated an aggressive effort to bring democracy to the Muslim world, predicted the long-term American effort to "shape the future of this region" will continue regardless of which party controls the White House, how many troops remain in Iraq and what tactics and strategies are employed.

"The world has gotten smaller and is getting smaller and smaller all the time," he said. "Isolationism, fortress America isn't going to deal with these problems of the kind that we're facing. Willy-nilly, this is our destiny, given our preponderance in the world, our role in the world and because of our successes."

(more)

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/14422478.htm

[Roland99]

9. long-term American effort to "shape the future of this region"

Yeah...that goes over SO well with the people from that region. Esp. the radicals.


:banghead:

[Canuckistanian]

10. Thank you, Mr. PNAC signatory

Take a few bucks out of petty cash for yourself. It's hard work being a neocon mouthpeice.

[rodeodance]

11. kinda slow with this news isn't he!!

[KamaAina]

14. Is that a threat or a promise?

Khalilzad is an original PNAC signatory. As such, he's in the know about what their future plans are for us all. :scared:

[arewenotdemo]

12. "Willy-NILLY"?????

Rumsfeld bed talk.

And here I thought Khalilzad was a good Muslim.

[IndianaGreen]

13. "(war) will continue regardless of which party controls the White House"

Not if we can help it! The only way the the long-term American effort to "shape the future of this region" will continue regardless of which party controls the White House is if Bush is replaced by a Republican or by one of those war hawks in the Democratic Party, e.g., Lieberman, Biden, Bayh, Hillary.

It is up to us to prevent that from happening by supporting those Democrats that are calling for the troops to come home at the end of this year. You know who they are, one of them was the standard bearer in 2004.