Can someone answer a few questions about the proposed plan for withdrawal?

[Jcrowley]

If I understand this correctly the Pelosi(?) plan would require Bush to certify to Congress on July 1 and again on October 1 that the Iraqi government is making progress in achieving the “benchmarks” that the US president himself laid out in his January speech announcing the escalation of the US intervention. Bush called the situation in Iraq “encouraging” last Tuesday, amid news of horrific bombings that left hundreds of Iraqis dead and attacks that claimed the lives of at least 13 more US soldiers this week. So then why would anyone accept the administration’s word on the supposed progress?

Does the proposed Democratic legislation call for a complete withdrawal of US occupation forces from Iraq under any circumstances?

Would it not leave tens of thousands of American soldiers behind under various pretexts: training Iraqi forces, conducting the “war on terror,” and protecting American facilities, including a massive new embassy?

[leftchick]

1. ...

1. why indeed

2. no

3. yes

and no mention of the US embassy/Imperial palace or permanent US bases as far as I have seen. It is bullshit.

[Jcrowley]

2. This kind of gets to another question

that has been gnawing at me. Maybe you can help or could ask around. Now what we are suppose to believe is that many were duped by the Bush administration, "were lied to", as regards the intelligence about Iraqi WMD's. How is that possible? The leading members of the Bush administration have been around for years, decades for most and have a long track record of corruption and lies with some involved in Iran Contra and many other Bushites involved in all sorts of scandals through the years. This is all public record.

Now many of those who are claiming to have been duped have also been in the Beltway for years and are perfectly aware of this record of deceit and corruption. So how is it that all of the sudden they could suspend all they knew and believed the Bush Admin. when they stated Saddam had WMD's? How is it a laymen like me and thousands of others knew how patently false was this info and yet those on the inside could not figure this out and gave the Bush admin. the green light to go to war?

There are other possibilities I suppose.

[leftchick]

3. because they were not duped

and are lying now to try and cover their asses? That is the way I see it. The ones saying they were fooled are liars and as corrupted as the others who voted yes.

[WilliamPitt]

4. Pssst...

Google the following:

"Truman Doctrine 1946"

"Permanent wartime economic footing"

"Cold War"

...the answers you seek will be in the pages you find.