But even the Iraqis want us to go away!

The long-running showdown over the proposed US-Iraq treaty, aimed at legitimizing the American occupation of Iraq, is coming to a head, and it doesn't look good for the United States.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki tossed a bombshell today. In a news conference about the still-secret US-Iraqi talks, which began in March, Maliki for the first time said that the chances of securing the pact are just about nil, and instead he said Iraq will seek a limited, ad hoc renewal of the US authority to remain in Iraq, rather than a broad-based accord.

More important, Maliki and his top security adviser, Mouwaffak al-Rubaie added that Iraq intends to link even a limited accord to a timetable for the withdrawal of US forces. Reports the Sydney Morning Herald:


Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki raised the prospect of setting a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops as part of negotiations over a new security agreement with Washington.

It was the first time the US-backed Shi'ite-led government has floated the idea of a timetable for the removal of American forces from Iraq. The Bush administration has always opposed such a move, saying it would benefit militant groups.


Here's the quote from Maliki:


"The current trend is to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or a memorandum of understanding to put a timetable on their withdrawal."

Don't think for a minute that Maliki, or his Shiite allies, want the US forces to leave. But they are under a lot of pressure. First of all, they are under pressure from Iran, whose regime remains the chief ally of the ruling alliance of Shiites, including Maliki's Dawa party and the powerful Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hakim. Iran's goal is to neutralize Iraq as a possible threat to Iran, and Iran's leaders are pressuring Maliki and Hakim to loosen their reliance on the United States. Interestingly, Maliki reportedly told President Bush personally, in a video teleconference on Friday, that the United States cannot use Iraqi territory to attack Iran, and he added that "fomenting tension in the region and pushing for military action against Tehran could wreak havoc on the entire region, including Iraq."

Maliki is also under pressure from a broad coalition of Iraqi nationalists, from angry, disenfranchised Sunnis to Muqtada al-Sadr's movement.

But Maliki's statement is a big deal. At a minimum, it presents an enormous problem for Bush and John McCain, who are arguing for an indefinite US stay in Iraq til "victory," and who oppose a timetable. True, Maliki seems to be linking his timetable to Iraqi military success, which is not too different from the Bush-McCain formula. But inside Iraq, the pressure is building day by day for a US withdrawal, and Maliki is by no means in control of the process. The fact that both Iran and Sunni nationalists, who are on a collision course, agree that US forces need to leave Iraq, only means that pro- and anti-Iranian factions will settle their differences (either by peaceful diplomacy or by violence) once the United States is gone.

Maliki Stunner: He Wants US Pullout Timetable

Isnt this exactly what you want? What are you complaining about?

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The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.

Norman Thomas

Fighting for Democracy?


In a rebuff to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the Pentagon said Monday that any timetable for a US withdrawal from Iraq would depend on conditions on the ground there.

Maliki told Arab ambassadors on Monday he was pressing for such a timetable in negotiations with Washington on an agreement on the status of US forces in Iraq beyond 2008.

Asked about the prime minister's comments, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters: "With respect to timetables I would say the same thing I would say as respects to the security situation -- it is dependent on conditions on the ground."

Whitman said the United States had made clear "that we have no long term desires to have forces permanently stationed in Iraq."

"But timelines tend to be artificial in nature," he said. "In a situation where things are as dynamic as they are in Iraq, I would just tell you, it's usually best to look at these things based on conditions on the ground."

The Raw Story | Iraq raises prospect of US withdrawal timetable

Yes it is, let's do it! Bring the boys home

What do you care about "the boys"?

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The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.

Norman Thomas

I care no more for them than the average American, but I do care about how much money is being wasted "supporting" their mission. I care about how they are used in support of this foreign policy and how it affects my country I love. I don't want them getting killed and I want them taken care of when they return. That's all

Patriot,
We need to be taken care of over in iraq and afganistan also. The money is not always waisted. Granted as always when politics get invalved with anything the military does, the money gets waisted on the politic agenda and special earmarks.
Leave the politics out of the military and we will be better off.

Military is Military there is no room for politics in the military. Just give us our missions and leave a alone to get it done. Stop changing the crap every 10 seconds.

If we end up keeping a few base's in Iraq after we are done that is fine we need a area to test.

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http://www.marines.com/page/Home.jsp?forceHtml=true

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Spell check. Like I care

Jonny boy can help.

ROTF!! Like the poster above said, leave the politics out of the military.

Especially when its wasting money like there is no tomorrow.

No problem though, McCain will still balance the budget

McCain is looking like the biggest idiot to ever run for President, aside from Bush. So he might yet solidify the Republican base yet!

The Iraqis never want Americans too leave.

Now that President Bush has defeated the Al Qaida in Iraq, these countries that opposed the war in Iraq suddenly want to invade Iraq with their Corporate profit machines. But not so fast......
China, France, Russia, Iran, Syria, Germany, Spain, Norway, Sweden etc.....all want to benefit from the American's sacrifices.

All of the countries that opposed the war in Iraq should pay a 50% "war tariff" on all profits until the USA has recovered all expenditures.

Ya don't want to pay the tariff, you have all investments in Iraq frozen and taken by President Bush to pay for the war.

It's time to pay up or get booted out!

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President-elect Clinton fooled the American people