Make no mistake: This war is ending, and all of our troops are coming home.

[bigtree]

"As a candidate, I promised that I would end this war, and that is what I am doing as president. We will have all of our combat troops out of Iraq by the end of this August. We will support the Iraqi government -- we will support the Iraqi government as they hold elections, and we will continue to partner with the Iraqi people to promote regional peace and prosperity. But make no mistake: This war is ending, and all of our troops are coming home."

-excerpt from President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech, January 27


my favorite part of the address

[lame54]

1. please, please, please

[zipplewrath]

2. Not really

They aren't "coming home" they are "being transferred to Afghanistan". He has said several times that one of the reasons he needed to wind down the war in Iraq is because he needed the troops in Afghanistan.

[bigtree]

4. good point

I'll say this though, in his defense. It'll give him more credibility in his promise to 'begin' to bring troops home from Afghanistan by July of 2011, if he follows through on his promises in Iraq.

[ShortnFiery]

3. Nothing could be further from the truth. Iraq is already beginning to blow up ...

four bombings the other day but the M$M doesn't care because no Americans were killed.

Our Combat troops will be there for YEARS ... as long as the money rolls in ... until out Middle Class is so devastated we'll have to cut back on Empire Building. But not a moment before. :thumbsdown:

[bigtree]

5. I don't believe you

I believe the president on Iraq (so far).

[Odin2005]

6. Your latest irrational screed is noted.

[Fumesucker]

8. 36 killed in Iraq bombings as 'Chemical Ali' executed

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0126/1224263119858.html

AT LEAST 36 people were killed and 80 injured yesterday in three massive explosions in central Baghdad shortly before the Iraqi authorities announced the execution of Ali Hassan al-Majid, a reviled figure in the ousted Baathist regime.

The first bomb targeted the Sheraton and Palestine hotels on the eastern bank of the Tigris river across from the fortified Green Zone whish houses parliament, embassies and government offices. The other two bombs struck the nearby Hamra and Babylon hotels. The Sheraton serves as a base for international agencies, while the Babylon is frequented by foreign businessmen and the Hamra by journalists.

[bigtree]

9. all of that, and the Marines still packed up to leave this week

. . . as they should. Iraq's security is for Iraq to manage - and under the 'agreement' with the Iraqi regime the president is operating behind, that day will come at the 'end of 2011'.

[Fumesucker]

11. And the largest embassy in the world is going to be abandoned?

As well as the huge bases?

You might believe it but I and many others here don't.

[bigtree]

12. guards protecting a U.S. embassy don't equal an occupation force

. . . no, I don't believe so.

Bases will be closed or transferred to Iraqi hands as the force draws down.

[Octafish]

14. 50-70,000 guards -- ''re-missioned'' from combat duty?

General Sees a Longer Stay in Iraq Cities for U.S. Troops

Like in 1984, re-naming changes things.

[bigtree]

17. the president clearly outlined the responsibilities of those 50,000 or so troops

from the White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy

By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end and Iraqi Security Forces will have full responsibility for major combat missions. After August 31, 2010, the mission of United States forces in Iraq will fundamentally change. Our forces will have three tasks: train, equip, and advise the Iraqi Security Forces; conduct targeted counterterrorism operations; and provide force protection for military and civilian personnel. The President intends to keep our commitment under the Status of Forces Agreement to remove all of our troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.


I don't like the lingering at all, but it's far short of the 'empire' protecting scheme that some arguing the withdrawal is intended to be. It's a one time shot for the Iraqis to put their security house in order and we're out, as far as President Obama is concerned. At least that's my belief.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

31. As long as insurgants know our troops aren't targets anymore, right?

I mean, their responsibilities have been clearly outlined and they are not "combat troops".
I'm sure terroists will respect the fact that our troops are not "combat forces" and leave them alone.

:sarcasm:

[bigtree]

34. most of the troops are already mostly restricted to base

. . . thus the sharp drop in casualties.

Like I've said, I don't like the lingering, but this occupation is drawing down to a 2011 close. We'll see if your cynicism bears out.

[Fumesucker]

16. How many US troops still in S Korea?

More than it takes to guard an embassy, certainly.

Anyone who thinks the US is going to abandon Iraq for Iran to move into is remarkably naive.

[bigtree]

18. Iraq isn't *South Korea

. . . not by a longshot.

Iran is already 'in' Iraq. The Maliki regime and the Iranian president have already forged economic and security agreements. In fact, I think Iran will provide as much responsibility for Iraq's security as their interests are represented by the Iraqi government. Right now, that relationship is pretty much humming right along.

[Fumesucker]

19. You're right, Iraq is far more sensitive and critical than S Korea

And in case you haven't noticed, Iran is a major boogeyman to the US, much more so than N Korea, which has no oil and is not strategically located in an area which is awash in oil, the lifeblood of our civilization at the moment.

Nope, there will still be tens of thousands of US troops in Iraq for years and probably decades to come.

They won't be called combat troops but that's what they will be.

[bigtree]

20. I think the U.S. threatens Iran more than they do us

. . . and I'm past the 'Iraq's the center of the terror war' thing.

[ThomThom]

22. again last night

he called them out

[bigtree]

35. yet

You still can't find ANYONE in the Pentagon leadership or the administration who would advocate military force as a solution to the issue of Iran's uranium production.

[Fumesucker]

27. Iraq never was the center of the terror war..

Iraq was basically no threat to the US at all, anyone who thought it was a threat was delusional.

But Iraq is a major, major key to the Middle East and an ocean of oil, there is simply no way it's going to be left for Iran to casually pick up.

Not to mention that the entire concept of the terror war is bullshit to start with, a war against a military or quasi-military tactic is at least as stupid as Don Quixote tilting at windmills.

[shadowknows69]

33. +1

[shadowknows69]

7. I'm sorry, but bullshit.

We won't call them combat troops, but they'll be there. We won't leave the empire unattended ever again.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

10. Nearly every major conflict has retained military prescence and troops.

Every single one.

We will be in iraq/afghanistan for years at minimum.
They might not "combat troops" (sophistry and spin) but America will have a prescense there for quite some time.

[ThomThom]

23. Japan, Germany............

[lpbk2713]

13. " ... until the NEXT time the rethuglicans take control of all branches of government."

War has always been good business for them. They never saw a war they didn't like.

[harun]

21. After he made that statement most of the Pukes didn't stand up. They are

completely overt imperialists.

[ThomThom]

25. well, they said that about the Dems in the past

WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam where all called Democratic wars, but since Vietnam the republicans have seen the money to be made making war and have really gotten into it. After Iraq1 they vowed to return and they did.

(edited to say)
The conservative position would be isolationism

[Soylent Brice]

15. : )

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

24. "combat troops"

[Toasterlad]

26. I Guess It's a Good Thing He Said "THIS War" and Not "The WARS"

That way, he can still throw away lives in Afghanistan and Yemen, and nobody can call him a liar.

[glitch]

29. +50,000 nt

[bigtree]

39. if he shows credibility in what he plans for Iraq

. . . that credibility should extend to what he says he intends in bringing an end to the occupation in Afghanistan and our military posture toward Yemen.

[sabrina 1]

28. What about the mercenary army we have over there

almost equal in size to the regular army?

He said 'combat troops' ~ they are withdrawing to the biggest embassy in the world and to Kuwait and some will be sent to the useless war in Afghanistan.

Some reporter needs to ask about those mercenaries, an army most of the American people are not even aware of. 'Money for the troops' often is 'money for the mercenary army'. We are now an empire and like all empires before us, we have a private army to do the dirty work. These 'contractors' legally are supposed to 'support' the US army. They supposedly cannot be thee unless the army is there. We will know by their continued presence, whether or not we are 'Out of Iraq' I guess.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

30. Does the include the combat brigades that were renamed?

[shadowknows69]

32. See post 7 FMD. Great minds and all.

[bigtree]

37. the president says ALL troops out in 2011

we'll see.

[havocmom]

36. Better be the truth, better be fast

The US cannot afford this war which was started just to raise $$ for corporations on the backs of the people who are still lucky enough to have jobs and pay taxes.

Oh, and raise the taxes on the rich, at least to the levels their St. Ronnie gave them

[rcrush]

38. But we are still going to have about 50,000 troops stationed there

Just like everywhere else in the world.

[bigtree]

40. ALL out in 2011

. . . says the president.

from the White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy

By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end and Iraqi Security Forces will have full responsibility for major combat missions. After August 31, 2010, the mission of United States forces in Iraq will fundamentally change. Our forces will have three tasks: train, equip, and advise the Iraqi Security Forces; conduct targeted counterterrorism operations; and provide force protection for military and civilian personnel. The President intends to keep our commitment under the Status of Forces Agreement to remove all of our troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.