Did I miss the announcement of when the troops are being withdrawn from Iraq?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

[taterguy]

1. They'll leave when we no longer have a voracious appetite for oil

[unhappycamper]

2. or run out of money. n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. More like when when our great-great grandchildren run out of money

We're out of money now, as well as out of our kid's money.

[NNN0LHI]

3. One or two brigades leaving per month is what was promised

I don't think we have even kicked any mercenaries out yet.

Don

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

8. "One or two brigades leaving per month is what was promised"

Are "was promised" the operative words here? So far not a word about withdrawal.

If Iraq wants the mercenaries, let them pay for them....

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

11. Blackwater is leaving in June.

[KharmaTrain]

5. Bring Them Back Here To This???

While I want those troops out yesterday, I've been hearing of movement toward redeployments on one hand and others that say the troops could remain for another 3 or more years. I don't think we have a very good picture of what's happening in Iraq...there's been precious little real news that's come out of that region in a long time and people and the corporate media have been lulled into thinking all is going well there or that it hasn't gotten worse. We now have two forgotten armies out there and no real idea of their status and the wars they're fighting.

The big thing is to get diplomatic cover to make sure a withdrawl is safe...not just with Iraq, but with other countries in the region. This isn't going to happen overnight as the previous regime did so much damage that restoring both confidence and the coalition to make a safe withdrawl possible just isn't in place yet. Not an excuse, but an observation. The old saying goes that it's easy to get into a war, it's never easy to get out.

Lastly there's the Afghanistan mess...and the fear that we could go from the frying pan right into the fire by escalating the war there. Again...this forgotten war is a complex one...and poorly handled by the last regime. Even though the Obama team have been working on this problem since last November, they've just gotten inside to see what is really going on.

Also no doubt the economic mess has gotten in the way...what do you do with these troops if you bring them home? Release them into this job market?

Again...I want the troops home ASAP, but I want them home safe.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. They have to come back to no matter what is going on here. We cannot afford any more of our treasure

being squandered on this illegal, immoral war.

As to the economy coming first, are you telling me that Obama can't chew gum and walk at the same time?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. They're coming back after an excursion to Afghanistan followed by Pakistan..followed by..

[Egalitariat]

9. They do that before elections. Not after. You might want to do an archival search with a date

range before November 2008.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. Ah, yes! The old campaign promise withdrawal date! Right......