US Stands By 2011 Troop Withdrawal Despite Iraqi Officer's Plea

[bigtree]

12 August 2010

VOA News - The United States is standing by a deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq by the end of next year, despite a senior Iraqi officer's call for them to stay longer.

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Thursday that the U.S. has made progress training and advising Iraqi forces, and is on target to meet its withdrawal deadline.

Iraq's most senior military officer, Lieutenant General Babakir Zebari, said Wednesday the United States should leave its troops in Iraq until 2020. He said it will be another 10 years before the Iraqi army will be able to ensure the country's security.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Wednesday that the United States is on track to end its combat mission in Iraq at the end of the month as planned. He said President Barack Obama is satisfied that the Iraqi military will be able to take over security operations.

read more: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/Report-Iraqi-Senior-Officer-Wants-US-Troops-to-Stay-Until-2020-100517699.html


US sticks to Iraq timetable, says only 'dozens' might stay

"We'll be doing in Iraq what we do in many countries around the world with which we have a security relationship that involves selling American equipment or training their forces, that is establishing some connecting tissue," said Anthony Blinken, national security advisor for the vice president.

"This is something that's common to many embassies around the world, under the authority of the chief of mission, the ambassador, and typically it involves some small numbers of military personnel," he said.

"But when I say small, I'm not talking thousands, I'm talking dozens or maybe hundreds, that's typically how much we would see."

"There are many remaining issues that Iraqis need to resolve," he said, "but in terms of the danger that some people were concerned about, about a vacuum developing in Iraq in the absence of a government formation, we haven't seen that."

read: http://www.laredosun.us/notas.asp?id=9716

[Scurrilous]

1. K & R

:thumbsup:

[SpartanDem]

2. Sorry guys we're outta here