(WH) Officials: US out of Iraq in 19 months (Obama to make the announcement this week)

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON—The United States will withdraw most of its troops from Iraq by August 2010, 19 months after President Barack Obama's inauguration day, according to administration officials who expect Obama to make the announcement this week.

The withdrawal plan would fulfill one of Obama's central campaign pledges, albeit a little more slowly than he promised. He said he would withdraw troops within 16 months, roughly one brigade a month from the time of his inauguration.

The U.S. military would leave behind a residual force, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, to continue advising and training Iraqi security forces. Also staying beyond the 19 months would be intelligence and surveillance specialists and their equipment, including unmanned aircraft, according to two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not been made public.

A further withdrawal would take place before December 2011, when the U.S. has already agreed with Iraq that it would remove all American troops.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11774783

[livetohike]

1. Did anyone else catch Pres. Obama say that zero dollars

were budgeted by the Bush administration for the Iraq war?? That Bush used creative accounting in his budgets.....where did those billions go?

Hopefully, the end will be sooner than 19 months and not later.

[Pirate Smile]

2. Bush always included it as a separate, supplemental appropriation so it wasn't included in the

budget and anyone who voted against it was painted as wanting the troops naked, hungry and vulnerable in a war zone.

Including the Iraq $$$ in the budget will help Obama cut the deficit because when the $$$ spent to finance the war in Iraq is no longer listed because of the draw down - guess what? The deficit gets quite a bit smaller.

[livetohike]

3. Thanks for that explanation

:hi: He's a smart man our President.

[Pirate Smile]

4. You're welcome and, yes, he is.

:hi:

[dipsydoodle]

5. What's the rush ?

:sarcasm:

[Baclava]

13. 500 views and 12 replies to this thread?

I guess only happy-happy stories are worthy of responses.

suck down that kool-aid

[jefferson_dem]

6. Officials: US troops to leave Iraq by August 2010

Source: AP

Officials: US troops to leave Iraq by August 2010
By PAMELA HESS and ANNE GEARAN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States plans to withdraw most of its troops from Iraq by August 2010, 19 months after President Barack Obama's inauguration, according to administration officials. The withdrawal plan would fulfill one of Obama's central campaign pledges, albeit a little more slowly than he promised. He said he would withdraw troops within 16 months, roughly one brigade a month from the time of his inauguration.

The officials said they expect Obama to make the announcement this week. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not been made public.

The U.S. military will leave behind a residual force, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, to continue advising and training Iraqi security forces, the two officials said. Also staying beyond the 19 months will be intelligence and surveillance specialists and their equipment, including unmanned aircraft, they said.

A further withdrawal will take place before December 2011, the period by which the U.S. agreed with Iraq to remove all American troops.

A senior White House official said Tuesday that Obama is at least a day away from making a final decision. He further said an announcement on Wednesday was unlikely, but he said that Obama could discuss Iraq during a trip to North Carolina on Friday.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ_WITHDRAWAL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-02-24-15-42-16

[RT Atlanta]

7. Good news!!!!

Bring 'em the fuck home and stop wasting billions over there every month.

[tekisui]

8. I wonder how many of the 30,000 to 50,000 will withdrawal by the Dec. '11 date.

This is good news, at any rate.

Also, from article:

In addition to the U.S. troops to be withdrawn, there is a sizable cadre of contractors who provide services to them who would pack their bags as well. There were 148,050 defense contractor personnel working in Iraq as of December, 39,262 of them U.S. citizens.

[bluestateguy]

9. Perhaps Obama cut a deal with the military establishment

Give them 3 more months in Iraq (Obama's original pledge was 16 months) in return for the military brass not running a covert PR campaign to malign the Administration's Iraq policy, as some stories had been suggesting this was in the offing.

As long as the December 31, 2011 deadline is adhered to, I don't see a political problem. Because of course, 2012 comes after 2011.

[frog92969]

10. "most" troops out in 18 months...impressive!!!

:sarcasm:

[Baclava]

11. "The U.S. military would leave behind a residual force, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops"

Iraq will be safe for the next 100 years. No doubt.

[bird gerhl]

12. Yeah, it's pretty weak.

I don't know what everybody's so happy about. That's 30000-50000 too many.

[bdab1973]

17. Many will be advisors...

The Iraqi government and military organizations still need assistance. Our specific unit is going to wrap up advising this summer, but there are other units that are far less along than the one I work with.

[ConcernedCanuk]

14. Give that massive embassy to the homeless and displaced - THEN I might be impressed . .

.
.
.

otherwise

The USA are still occupying invaders IMHO

[mike_c]

15. I'm not impressed....

Nineteen more months of crimes against humanity. For what?

There is NO defensible reason for staying any longer than it takes for an orderly withdrawal-- and this plan is NOT a 19-month withdrawal-- it's a permanent occupation, hidden behind a 19 month reduction in forces. Withdrawal means withdrawal.

It's Obama's war now.

[ConcernedCanuk]

16. well said - "It's Obama's war now" - and the World is watching

.
.
.

CHANGE!