Iraqi leaders adopt Murtha proposal for withdrawal

[warrior1]

http://www.americablog.org/

by John in DC - 11/22/2005 09:29:00 AM

This is an extremely bizarre and rather earth-shattering story. Basically, Iraq's leaders want us out, and they seem to have just endorsed Congressman Murtha's proposal for a timed withdrawal, a real beefing up of the Iraqi armed forces, and stronger protection at the borders. Even wilder, and something that's not in Murtha's proposal, Iraq's leaders now say it's not terrorism if you attack Americans. It's only terrorism if you attack Iraqi citizens or Iraqi "institutions."

There's really no other way to read this. They want us out and it's clear that we're not listening. They've likely told the Bush administration privately, and now they're going public. This is incredibly embarrassing for Bush. And it's very troubling for all of us. These guys are pretty much telling us to get out, please.

snip

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5431131,00.html

raqi Leaders Call for Pullout Timetable


Tuesday November 22, 2005 3:16 AM

AP Photo XAN107

By SALAH NASRAWI

Associated Press Writer

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Leaders of Iraq's sharply divided Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis called Monday for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in the country and said Iraq's opposition had a ``legitimate right'' of resistance.

The final communique, hammered out at the end of three days of negotiations at a preparatory reconciliation conference under the auspices of the Arab League, condemned terrorism, but was a clear acknowledgment of the Sunni position that insurgents should not be labeled as terrorists if their operations do not target innocent civilians or institutions designed to provide for the welfare of Iraqi citizens.

The participants in Cairo agreed on ``calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops according to a timetable, through putting in place an immediate national program to rebuild the armed forces ... control the borders and the security situation'' and end terror attacks.

[warrior1]

1. kick

[warrior1]

2. kick read please

[marylanddem]

3. This is a pretty incredible development. Recommended.

[warrior1]

4. Thanks

This is great. It would push bush and his cartel into a corner. They will not win the war of words on this one. This is win for the GI's.

[rwork]

5. I remember bush* saying

in a press conference, anytime they ask us to leave, we will leave. He repeated that in response to a reporters question.

[ninkasi]

7. I remember that, too

Of course, we both remember as well that Bush doesn't have a very good record of keeping his promises.

[KharmaTrain]

6. Repugnicans Think These People Are Stupid

The hubris that exudes when I hear some telepundit or right wing goon claim "the Iraqi people" want this or that just frosts my butt. Especially since these same goons have no concept of Arab culture other than hatred and ignorance and no concept of the world outside their little xenophobic worlds. How they can describe "democracy" yet claim this is what the Iraqi people want is beyond me.

Then there's the clusterfuck mindset that says that if we withdraw somehow this is gonna signal a time and date on when and where to attack. Clue to the clueless: Most of the people with IEDs and guns shooting at us LIVE THERE. They're not going anywhere anytime soon and no matter if we pull troops out next week or 2009, they'll wait us out and make sure our exit is one we won't forget.

I've long advocated that the Arab League is the one real honest broker for an American exit out of that mess. They're the only pan-Arab group with the teeth to provide a multi-national force (similar to what the West Africans have done in Liberia and Sierra Leone) to create a transition and then to decide who takes over. Obviously this doesn't go over too well with Mr. Chalabi and the big oil companies and defense contractors who love those big federal bucks that keep rolling in.

The Repugnicans and this regime have been out manuevered almost every step of the way in their "war on terror". There' no defined enemy, no defined goal (other than to kill as many A-rabs as possible) and no defined victory. It's a replay of the Red Scare...playing on a long-term, un-seen fear to keep their sheeple in line and the justification for the military-industrial complex to bilk billions from American taxpayers.

[warrior1]

8. Stephanie Miller is talking about now

[Nimrod2005]

9. Excellent title to your post

[warrior1]

10. If bush was smart

he would shut up and do it.

[MrDale]

11. you would think

that somethng as frickin' important as this would be ALL ovr the media. you would think that the democrats would be USING this tidbit of information to their fullest advantage.

let's see how it unfolds in the forth coming days, considering the date on this was today (11/22).

this is a HUGE slap in the face to the bush adminstration and the republicans. i've already posted this on the politics section of my forum just so i can see what excuses, talking points and spin the conservative side will put on this.

[Catamount]

12. Are these the same Iraqi leaders Bushco installed? n/t

[sandnsea]

13. It's not Murtha's proposal at all

"Sunni leaders have been pressing the Shiite-majority government to agree to a timetable for the withdrawal of all foreign troops. The statement recognized that goal, but did not lay down a specific time - reflecting instead the government's stance that Iraqi security forces must be built up first."

They want security forces to be able to take over as US troops leave or are sent to the borders. That is not Murtha's plan and it's not immediate withdrawal.

[Gregorian]

14. Eviction notice is served.

They want the US out. We want Bush out of the White House.

Eviction notices all around. Now what? Get in a bulldozer and mow down the White House? Cheney'd just crawl into his bunker.

No, really, I've been waiting a long time to hear the Iraqis say this. And this is final notice. Time's up.