Iraq Declares Victory as U.S. Troops Leave Cities.

[elleng]

Source: Reuters/NYTimes

Iraq's leader declared victory Saturday as the country began to end a foreign occupation with the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from cities, and told Iraqis not to lose faith if the pullback resulted in attacks.

As part of a security pact signed between Baghdad and Washington last year, U.S. combat forces must leave urban centers by June 30 and the entire force that invaded Iraq in 2003 must be gone by 2012.

"It is a great victory for Iraqis that we are taking the first step toward ending the foreign presence in Iraq," Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a conference of leaders from the ethnic Turkmen community.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/06/20/world/international-us-iraq-usa-security.html

[tocqueville]

1. some interesting quotes

"I, and you, are sure that many don't want us to succeed and celebrate this victory. They are getting themselves ready to move in the dark to destabilize the situation, but we will be ready for them, God willing."

"Those who spoke of the need to resist the occupation are today talking about the opposite, that the (foreign) forces should stay," Maliki said, referring to Sunni fears that without a U.S. presence they will be left unprotected.

"It is impossible for the multinational forces to stay. If we speak of keeping the foreign forces here, it means we have no confidence in ourselves, in our unity, in our brotherhood and in the competence of our forces."

expect a crackdown on "collaborators" (Sunnis and Kurds)

[No Elephants]

2. I wish someone had declared victory as soon as we arrested Saddam.

[dorkulon]

8. I do fear for the Kurds.

They are likely to be attacked from all sides.

[joshcryer]

3. Colbert called it!

:P

[crikkett]

4. When, and how?

THanks

[joshcryer]

7. During his first Iraq show he claimed "Victory!"

I was joking.

[Tim01]

5. Am I the only one expecting brutal violence? nt

[SpartanDem]

6. US hands over Sadr City base to Iraq

BAGHDAD (AFP) — The US army handed over a base in the Baghdad neighbourhood of Sadr City, once a bastion for anti-US insurgents, to Iraqi forces on Saturday as the deadline nears for its pullout from Iraq's cities.

The transfer of the Joint Security Station (JSS) comes barely more than a week before a June 30 deadline for US forces to pull out of Iraq's urban centres as required by a security accord signed between Baghdad and Washington in November.

"Today this base returns to its true owner," said US Major General Daniel Bolger, the commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division.

"This land has been bought with a very high price -- 136 US soldiers and 184 Iraqi soldiers shed their blood to protect Sadr City (between January 2006 and present)."


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jFnJNo9qNe1-fguBFcYDzvv7mmQQ

[rug]

9. Good, let's go home.

[lunatica]

10. I hope violence doesn't break out because it'll make it harder to leave

If things stay settled then we could get out without incident. I'm afraid it won't be easy though.