"This was the biggest promise Obama made to me, and he kept that promise."

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2011/12/2/112253/049

Leaving Iraq

by BooMan
Fri Dec 2nd, 2011 at 11:22:53 AM EST


The U.S. military handed over control of the Victory Base Complex to the Iraqi government today. That was the huge base near the Baghdad airport, containing numerous palaces (the Iraqis will now have to decide what to do with them). There are now no more than 500 U.S. soliders in the capital, and only 12,000 in the whole country. I don't know how many mercenaries are there.

We are on schedule to remove the remainder of our troops by New Year's Eve.

For weeks now, according to news reports, the main highway leading south to Kuwait has been clogged with American convoys, and the skies over Baghdad have echoed with the roar of aircraft flying troops home. This troop movement is part of an accelerated effort to meet the December 31 withdrawal deadline of all American forces from that ancient land between the Tigris and the Euphrates...

...December 31, 2011, will represent for Americans the end of a harrowing eight and a half years of war...

This has been done quietly, and largely without incident. Despite criticisms by hawks like John McCain, the administration has stuck to its promises to end the war in Iraq and to use as much care in leaving as we lacked in invading. There will be no Fall of Saigon moment. We will not be forced out with our tails between our legs. Nothing can absolve us of our national guilt for building a false casus belli for war, nor for outrages like Abu Ghraib. The war with Iraq is a stain on our nation's character. But the president did not cause that stain, and he's done an excellent and largely unheralded job of righting the ship and steering us out of the conflict.

While significant problems remain to be resolved regarding our military relationship with Iraq going forward,the fact that Iraq has remained largely out of the news is both a credit to the administration and a big reason why they aren't getting more credit for their performance.

This was the biggest promise Obama made to me, and he kept that promise. For that, I will be forever grateful.

Next up, Afghanistan.

[liberal N proud]

1. He has kept many promises

Yet many still do not recognize what a difficult job he has had dealing with opponents who have one collective goal of defeating him in 2012.

[Traveling_Home]

2. Not for me... Transparency in Govt was the #1 promise

BIG TIME FAIL

Everything is being done behind closed doors whether with Big Pharma and promises to select States on Health Care to sealing the records on Fast and Furious.

I won't vote for him. I might vote against a Repub President, but it won't be a vote for Pres. Obama.

BIG TIME FAIL

[BlancheSplanchnik]

3. Largely unheralded....

That describes every good move he's made.

"largely unheralded job of righting the ship and steering us out of the conflict."

[joshcryer]

4. It's a big deal, but I never wanted him to ramp up Afghanistan.

So between Afghanistan and Iraq, it's a wash.

However, I fully supported his assisting the Libyan Revolution.

In that vein the President gets a +1 from me.

[JayhawkSD]

5. Well, not to bust anyone's bubble, but...

...and I am not in any way anti-Obama, here, I am merely citing facts.

This withdrawal schedule was established in every detail by George W. Bush in an agreement with Maliki before Bush left office. Obama and the Democratic Congress had nothing whatever to do with it. In fact, Congress was upset at the time because Bush did not consult with them before making the agreement.

In an additional fact, if Obama had gotten his way, we would not be making the withdrawal at this time. He had been negotiating feverishly with Maliki to get an extension to allow our troops to remain longer, and only a month or so discontinued those negotiations and announced the final withdrawal, wording the announcement such that those who wanted to do so could interpret it as being his decision to withdraw.

[babylonsister]

6. We love facts here, we also love links to support what you

assert.

And welcome to DU.

[grantcart]

7. Here's a fact

The person you are replying to hates the President and the OWS movement.

From his blog

All of this froth about the 99% and the 1% is getting really old. If your income is $100k per year, which group are you in? Right, not only are you are one of the 99%, you are not even near the top of the 99%. Are you suffering? Do you live in squalor, or on the street? Do you wonder where your next meal is coming from? No, of course not.

Then why are these idiots “occupying” Wall Street to tell the 1% how miserable you are?


snip

I actually am tired of criticizing Obama, but he just keeps stepping in dog poop, raising his foot and announcing that it smells like apple pie.


oh and the link you wanted

http://billsandiego.blogspot.com/

[babylonsister]

8. Well, what do you know. Kind of what I figured, but thank you

for the detail. And so nice to see YOU! :hug:

[progressoid]

9. All US Forces are mandated to withdraw from Iraqi by 31 December 2011 under terms signed in 2008

Seriously? You didn't know this? Remember the shoe throwing incident?
__________________________________________________________

All US Forces are mandated to withdraw from Iraqi territory by 31 December 2011 under the terms of a bilateral agreement signed in 2008.

The U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (official name: "Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States Forces from Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities during Their Temporary Presence in Iraq") is a status of forces agreement (SOFA) between Iraq and the United States. It establishes that U.S. combat forces will withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, and all U.S. forces will be completely out of Iraq by December 31, 2011, subject to possible further negotiations which could delay withdrawal and a referendum scheduled for mid-2009 in Iraq which may require U.S. forces to completely leave by the middle of 2010.

...

On December 14, 2008, U.S. President George W. Bush signed the security pact with Iraq. In his fourth and final trip to Iraq, the president appeared with Iraq's prime minister and said more work is to be done.<59> During the press conference discussing the signing of the pact<60> with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in his palace in the heavily fortified Green Zone, President Bush dodged two shoes thrown at him from the audience.

etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.-Iraq_Status_of_Forces_Agreement