Iraq to take control of military

[sabra]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20366929-1702,00.html

Iraq to take control of military

IRAQ and the US military will sign tomorrow a delayed accord under which coalition forces will hand command of Iraqi armed forces to the Government, a spokesman for Iraq's prime minister has said.

"The accord will be signed tomorrow in the presence of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and General George Casey," the head of the coalition forces in Iraq, Ali al-Dabaqh said.

The agreement was initially to be signed on Saturday, but the handover ceremony was abruptly cancelled after disagreements on the Iraqi side over who should sign the handover on the government's behalf.

..

The accord means setting up a Iraqi joint military command for the army, navy and air force, which will gradually take full operational control of Iraq's armed forces, including 115,000 US-trained ground troops.

[grytpype]

1. Finally!

And no, the delay was not about who should sign the fricking thing! What a fricking lie!!!

The delay was over how much control the Iraqis would have and what size operations they could order. The Iraqis wanted more control than Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld wanted to give them.

And I would like to know how that turned out, but the fricking article doesn't say because of the LIE!

[maddezmom]

2. so when can our guys and gals come home?

this is just a photo op and nothing will change.

[maxrandb]

3. More Election Year Propaganda from BUSHCO

"See, the I-Rak-eees have taken over security". "Freedom's on the March". "Let Freedom Reign", etc, etc, etc.

I'll be looking for a "signing statement" with this one.

[sweetheart]

4. so iraq has taken over from bush?

And now iraq runs american through its proxy, the pentagon, which it uses
as an infilatrated organization to drain the public treasury dry until
nothing remains. Gosh, who let iraq take over?

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Reception to follow. Civil war will commence when last Fox reporter leaves

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. self delete

[liberal N proud]

6. And the troops come home when?

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. So does this mean US Troops

will be under Iraqi command?

[acmejack]

10. Now we all know that is totally unacceptable!

Never quoth the GOP(her)

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. That's why I raised the question

If they are, that ought to make the sick little freepers heads explode.

[acmavm]

8. So now theoretically the Iraqi government is now responsible

for what the military does (and does not) do? We're in the clear? Are we done?

What a pant load.

[NotGivingUp]

11. makes no sense at all except as a propaganda piece.

[sofa king]

13. I'll bet the first thing they do is...

...start killing Iraqi cops. Why? Half of the cops are insurgents, and half of the army are insurgents. Both halves are going to declare war on the other halves, and each other. Won't that be fun?

[CoffeeCat]

14. Time to release another fluff snippet!

Oh, I just love these 'ceremonial marketing milestones' that BushCo releases, don't you?

First we had "Mission Accomplished" announcing that major combat operations were over.

(Yippeee!! We're done here, folks!)

Then we had Paul Bremer sailing toward the sun in a helicopter, immediately after 'handing over
the keys' to Alawi.

(Things will REALLLY turn around now!)

Then we had elections.

(Love them purple fingers! This is going to matter so much!! So historical! Hold me while I weep.)

Then we had the fall of Fallujah, which was supposed to wipe out most of the insurgents

(Look just over the horizon! It's our friends Mr Peace and Captain Freedom!)

Then, major pieces of the Iraqi constitution were crafted

(Now things will REALLY change! Remain calm!! All is well!)

And NOW....(((drum roll)))...we announce a new-and-improved Iraqi military that is really, really
going to take super-duper charge of EVERYTHING!

(This has GOT to be the silver bullet folks!! All of the other milestones have meant SOOO much,
and I'm sure this one will too!! Victory!)

Mission Accomplished...AGAIN!

[maddezmom]

15. kick

[Judi Lynn]

16. Iraq to Take Control of Armed Forces

Iraq to Take Control of Armed Forces
By QAIS AL-BASHIR , 09.06.2006, 04:46 PM

Iraq takes control Thursday of its armed forces command, a major step in its painful path toward independence and an essential move before international troops can eventually withdraw.

"This is such a huge, significant event that's about to occur tomorrow," said U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell. "If you go back and you map out significant events that have occurred in this government's formation in taking control of the country, tomorrow is gigantic."

But despite the optimism, the bloodshed continues, with at least 33 people killed across the country in car bombs, mortar attacks and drive-by shootings and police finding a total of 29 bodies.

The highly anticipated ceremony, which will put the prime minister in direct control of the country's military, comes five days after it was originally scheduled to be held - when the Iraqi government abruptly called it off at the last minute.
(snip/...)

http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/entretech/feeds/ap/2006/09/06/ap2997914.html

[ConcernedCanuk]

17. Silly question I know, but do they get to use the bases the US is building

.
.
.

If not

Dey got no control . . .

Not until all the PNACer's warriors are gone,

and they own every inch of their own land.

What a WEIRD concept, eh?

Owning your own country.

(sigh)

[0007]

19. ...yeah, how many airplanes and helicopters and tanks

and field artillery are the Iraqis gonna get from the U.S.?

[Tempest]

18. An empty gesture

The Iraqi military still can't operate without direct U.S. support and personnel.

[Jacobin]

20. Ah. Now the genocide of Sunnis by the Shiite majority

can begin in earnest...AND with state sanction!!

WTG neo-cons.