Nouri al-Maliki ready to oust US from Iraq green zone

[Voice for Peace]

Nouri al-Maliki ready to oust US from Iraq green zone
Marie Colvin in Baghdad

The green zone of Baghdad, a highly fortified slice of American suburbia on the banks of the Tigris river, may soon be handed over to Iraqi control if the increasingly assertive government of Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, gets its way.

A senior Iraqi government official said this weekend the enclave should revert to Iraqi control by the end of the year. “We think that by the end of 2008 all the zones in Baghdad should be integrated into the city,” said Ali Dabbagh, the government’s spokesman.

“The American soldiers should be based in agreed camps outside the cities and population areas.

“By the end of the year, there will be no green zone,” he added. “The separation by huge walls makes people feel angry.” Dabbagh acknowledged that getting rid of the green zone would be a huge undertaking, given the thousands of American soldiers, private contractors and foreign workers who live inside. He said the concrete walls that divide it from the rest of the city would be taken down slowly, “depending on the threat and circumstances”.

The prospect may prove disconcerting for the Americans, who have just begun to transfer their diplomatic operations in the zone from Saddam Hussein’s Republican Palace to a new embassy, the largest and most expensive in the world....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article4322520.ece

[FirstLight]

1. Yay...If we don't leave, they will tell us to get the F7%^$%$ out!

I am glad that this leader is standing up an taking charge of his country. I could care less what "faction" he represents, just that he could be a leader, take control of the mess,and we can get our troops home.

I pray that some non-profits get to stay behind and help with clean-up & humanitarian needs. But the time or mercenaries and troops is long past due!
The only reason for rhe violence is US...duh!

[Tutonic]

2. Chickens comin home to roost....

What nation besides Germany or Japan would allow the US to squat on their soil for untold decades? The US will "voluntarily" (wink) withdraw from Iraq later this year. And all of that cheap tanker oil from the region? Forget about it. It's headed to China as I type. Exxon, Mobil and the gang of oil barons will always make their money--they could care less if it is American, or European or Chinese. And Bush and Cheney families have made a win fall. Got gas?

[Botany]

3. I hope they put those Blackwater bastards out into the general population

.... of Iraq. Fallujah, Iraq would be a nice place to start.

[Tutonic]

4. Yeah that's why the US was insisting on immunity for the murderers

rapists and thieves. Only Al Malaki scoffed at the notion.

[Tutonic]

5. The US presence in Iraq will never be tolerated. Bush, Cheney,

Rice and Gates can play musical chairs with the Iraqi leadership but fundamentally, we cannot remain in Iraq and the Iraqi people will fight any long term OCCUPATION.

[Tutonic]

6. Who in their right mind would voluntarily agree to work out of that

embassy? Suicide mission...With our without walls.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. This does not sound right.

News stories for months have been about how much money the US was spending in making Green Zone luxurious, fortified, citified, with plans for long term occupation.
Hell, I even rad plan for Disney World or something.

and now this sotry, 180 degrees different?

Does not add up.

[paparush]

8. This is happening because CheneyBush** want it to happen..so to free up resources for

Iran?

Afghanistan?

US Crowd Control?