Obama just emailed me on vacation to say that we will have no troops in Iraq by the end of 2011. Your thoughts?
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M$18 Answers
With regard to Iraq troop levels he has so far fulfilled his campaign promises on schedule.
This is what he said in February 2009:
""As a candidate for president, I made clear my support for a timeline of 16 months to carry out this drawdown, while pledging to consult closely with our military commanders upon taking office to ensure that we preserve the gains we’ve made and protect our troops," Obama said. "Those consultations are now complete, and I have chosen a timeline that will remove our combat brigades over the next 18 months.
"Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end."
While that will effectively end the combat mission, Obama said, he plans to keep 35,000 to 50,000 military personnel in Iraq through 2011 for the purpose of "training, equipping, and advising Iraqi Security Forces as long as they remain nonsectarian; conducting targeted counterterrorism missions; and protecting our ongoing civilian and military efforts within Iraq."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/126/begin-removing-combat-brigades-from-iraq/
As he has removed about 90,000 troops in 18 months I see no reason to doubt that he will be able to remove the remaining 50,000 in the next 16 months.
In addition, we have not only not negotiated permanent bases in Iraq, but President Obama signed a law prohibiting funding for such bases. Again, from another promise checked by Politifact:
"..the Obama administration has not wavered from its pledge and the president signed a bill that specifically prohibits defense funds from being used to permanently station U.S. armed forces in Iraq. "
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/132/no-permanent-bases-in-iraq/
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Albanian, all due respect but it wouldn't have mattered what I was to say, if it wouldn't have agreed with your mighty obama mentality you would have argued anyway! You want a fact? A large percent of the remarks made by Politifact are checked for accuracy by a group that claims nonpartisan and yet regularly bashes republicans. Factcheck.org But I am sure your refusal to see anything else outside your own beliefs will see nothing wrong with anything you ever read. No group is ever really independent! I am sure your naiveness will probably have you blind to that as well!
Obama didn't put us in this situation your precious Bush did. Most of you couldn't wait to point the finger at the first black president. Obama has done a whole lot rebuilding our race relations with other countries that Bush has destroyed. I know most of you dont know anything about anything thats why your posts are so bland and without any meaning or call for a solution. Obama can being president or not just do what he wants the congress makes the finale decision. All he or any other president can do is petition congress for withdraw. White America wanted and still wants this war and until THEY are satisfied we will still be there.
The question was about "we will have no troops in Iraq by the end of 2011." Your answer, completely wrong, said "Everything that the man has said he would do he hasn't." I showed that he has done a great number of the things he said he would do and is clearly working on almost all the rest. Then you reply with a rant about rapes, the murder rate, worries about the future, and other things that make you unhappy but simply do not have anything to do with this question or even President Obama. He has a good record for doing what he says, and one of those things is to get our troops out of Iraq by the end of 2011.
Thanks nancy, I agree, Colin powell should have ran many years ago!!! I think a man like that would make us all proud!
albanian I am very informed on what and how my government works but you are blind to anything you disagree with. Atleast I have been able to say that there are some things I agree with. You don't seem to think anything has ended up wrong. That implies to me that you are letting the papers tell you how to think! I think for myself! I see it how it is for everyday people. You seem to be in lala land where all is perfect with the world. And just so you know all my stats were also factual and not just rants!
First of all powerman why do all you democrats assume that all of us republicans supported Bush and this war. We were in the wrong country!! We never should have been in Iraq to begin with, therefore your assumptions are ignorance! Also why must you play the race card for your information as white as I may look, my father is a Mexican and I was raised by black families! I could care less about his color. The government in itself is a disgrace right now. I personally could care less what anyone else thinks. I have to run my business. I live in a place where we have 11.5% unemployment. One thing I never hear any democrat talking about is where he is getting the money for the "159" things. He sure isn't lowering spending in one area to get it. There are a few things the president has attempted that I agree with I just don't like his manner of getting these things done. I don't like the spend your way out of it mentality.
I also think it is too little too late to begin war with another country! Our troops deserve to come home! So pull them out of one country and move them to another so that you can say you completed one more thing on your "List" ???? I'm tired of the left side wanting to go make everything all better with other countries! Why do we need to spend so much time improving relationships with other countries when we have enough problems at home. 744,000 homless in America, 500,000 kids stuck in foster care, a woman is raped every 2 minutes in our country, 45 to 60 murders per day, I could care less about our relationships with other countries!!! It doesn't matter what you do as president, if American people can't see any of it, then it really is a waste of time in office!
@Peeples, you did a great job of expressing what a thinking American really sees happening vs blind (albeit impassioned) party-loyalists who have to fall back on bogus epithets to attempt to win the debate.
My personal view: Leaders EARN respect, they don't get it because Affirmative Action dictates they deserve it. How different would this country be right now if Colin Powell were President? Thoughtful, intelligent, wise, no Chicago-style heavy-handedness i.e. stealing from shareholders to give to unions. Too bad he didn't run.
The independent Politifact finds that President Obama has done 159 of the roughly 500 things he said he would do, has not done 22 of them, and is working on the rest (he is President not Sole Ruler and has to get Congress to do most stuff).
You can read about them individually on the Politifact site:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/
That you think you don't like what he has acomplished does not mean he has not done what he said he would. He has.
@peeples, I pointed you to an independent source reporting actual facts. You reply with a rant of complaints and paranoid predictions about the future. You are just not interested in reality or facts, just emoting. And, you clearly have no idea about the capabilities, or the limitations of government. Some things get done and solved, some things don't. President Obama has led the nation toward major improvements on many fronts, and this has been a matter of actual laws and Presidential orders documented in the press. The results are clear in actual economic reports, diplomatic events, and troop levels.
I thank congress daily that they stop his ignorance! 159 things,,,, my ass!! I live in one of the poorest states in america, even his own have turned on him because of the lack of follow through! 10% unemployment, debt that our grandchildren will be stuck with, and no hope for anything better until he's gone! You can't keep robbing peter to pay paul and say you are doing something!
- either all of our troops will come home,
- all of our troops will die over in Iraq,
- or this is another empty statement.
God forbid every single one of our men and women in Iraq dies in Iraq and God willing they all come home by that date in 2011 or earlier but I think like most statements politicians this one is a bit less than accurate and that makes the 3rd possibility is the most likely one.
- Some of our troops will be home,
- some of them will be dead,
- and some of them will still be living and fighting in Iraq at the end of 2011.
personal opinion
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M$
It is so meaningful and so emotional to see the cargo trucks cross the border.They soldiers seem pleased and excited as the exit leave Iraq and enter Kuwait. Even though 50,000 US troops will remain to offer assistance and training to Iraq citizens it is definitely a step in the right direction.The fact that President Obama remove the combat troops two week shy of the due date and without incident shows that this was a job that was well done.On the other hand, it made me reflect on the sad memories of the last 7 years and how this war got started based on several untruths told by our governmental system.
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M$
Two more clarifications:
Obama math: 56,000 = 0 (gotta love that math when you report your income)
Obama geography: Home = Afghanistan?
Moving troops from one war to another doesn't win him too many points in my book. War is war and dead is dead, and unnecessary means the same in any book, except perhaps the Obama Dictionary (third in the series after Obama Math and Obama Geography)
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M$I was there...
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M$Consider Christopher Hitchens' response to Charlie Rose's question about Obama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY343tkI4Ss&feature=related
Rather than a time line, how about "When the job is done?
When did we pull out of Japan or Germany?
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M$In downtown DC for over six years, I had clients who lived and breathed politics . It's in the air.
If I got that e-mail from DC, I'd believe it as much as I do the ones from my dear friends in Lagos.
(I can also say that I've been cursed at (or at least insulted) in Yoruba, a language native to Nigeria.)
I know that you would most kindly appreciate my generous assistance in helping you acquire your departed great uncle's massive fortune, the sum of which is valued at several Mahalo Dollars.
Here, sir, is my bank account number, my dear good kind friend: BEST ANSWER.
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M$
Let me amend that, based on what I saw on CNN last night:
Was there an asterisk after "troops" and in the fine print did it say "*--Offer applies only to combat troops. Other restrictions may apply. Void in The District of Columbia and where prohibited by law. Cash Value 1/20th of one cent?"
Here's what I saw:
"Mosul, Iraq (CNN) -- The last U.S. brigade combat team in Iraq has left the country, a move that helps U.S. President Barack Obama reach his goal of 50,000 troops in the country by September 1.
Their departure leaves about 56,000 U.S. troops in the country, according to the U.S. military.
Capt. Christopher Ophardt, spokesman for the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, said the last of the 4,000 members of the unit crossed the border into Kuwait early Thursday.
A few hundred members stayed behind to finish administrative and logistical duties but will fly out of Baghdad later Thursday, Ophardt said.
Much of the brigade departed more than a day ago, but the announcement was delayed for security reasons.
Their departure comes more than seven years after U.S. combat forces entered, though their departure does not signify the end of all U.S. combat forces in the country.
Another 6,000 U.S. troops must leave Iraq to meet Obama's deadline for the end of U.S. combat operations in the country and the beginning of Operation New Dawn, in which the remaining U.S. forces are expected to switch to an advise-and-assist role."
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/08/18/iraq.combat.convoy/index.html?hpt=T1
And I've noticed that if you submit one thing with your e-mail address to this new tech-savvy White House, it's open season for them to email you. I opted out after I got something from David Axelrod a few weeks ago--I wasn't expecting it.
/would be good though if it were true
//US never should have been there anyway
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M$You should. You're seeing it played out before your very eyes.
That said, given that Iraq is centrally located in the midst of one opposing civilization, and within striking distance of the other, we would be complete fools to abandon this strategic location.
But then again, a fool is in the White House.
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M$If the commitment of a president is of no value, there is no value of any commitment, even your commitment.
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M$MY OWN THOUGHTS
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M$rr
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M$
For those wondering about the 56k at the time of the question vs the 50k promised, the Times reports that the latter goal has been met on time:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/world/middleeast/25iraq.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
You need to read this.
http://history.club.fatih.edu.tr/103%20Huntington%20Clash%20of%20Civilizations%20full%20text.htm
@albanian i dont usually agree with you, but this was a great answer.
It might be noted, by those who are concerned by the USA withdrawal from Iraq, that President Obama recently said:
"Kuwait and the United States enjoy very strong bilateral relations. We are looking to make those relations even stronger. Kuwait has been an outstanding host for the United States Armed Forces during its operations in Iraq. And as we transition our operations in Iraq, it's important for us to emphasize not only our gratitude to Kuwait, but also our ongoing commitment to Kuwait's security."
The USA military expects to continue to have military bases elsewhere in the Middle East as long as they are required for the region's security.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-obama-and-his-highness-sheikh-sabah-amir-state-kuwait