U.S. Ambassador in Iraq Discusses Withdrawal of U.S. Troops

[ECH1969]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 1 - As Iraqi leaders reaffirmed their decision to finish writing the country's constitution by the middle of the month, the new American ambassador here spoke in specific terms about the pending withdrawal of American troops from the country.

In his first press conference, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said that American forces would hand over control of specific areas to Iraqi forces and "withdraw its own units from these areas." He declined to say which Iraqis cities American soldiers would leave first, but said he had formed a committee with Iraqi leaders to draw up a detailed withdrawal plan.

"After this transfer occurs in more and more areas, there will be a smaller need for coalition forces, and elements of the multinational forces will leave Iraq," the ambassador said.

His remarks were the latest demonstration of the highly visible role that Mr. Khalizad has played in the weeks since his arrival here. The former ambassador to Afghanistan, where he was deeply engaged in the affairs of the country, Mr. Khalilzad has departed from the previous American practice of standing back while the Iraqis work out their problems themselves.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/01/international/middleeast/01cnd-iraq.html?hp&ex=1122955200&en=333d85b4c4d53e54&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[ironman202]

1. let the civil war begin....

[wtmusic]

2. Prediction

US forces will be practically overrun as the country devolves into total chaos, from which emerges a brutal theocracy.

[stepnw1f]

3. Yup...

And then there will be WMD's thanks to the Bush Administration. (psychos)

[leftchick]

6. I still think the idiot neo-freaks will keep the bases

and all of those communication towers and see if they can keep 50,000 troops or so. It is bullshit. So many more will die in their desperation to hang on.

:(

[wtmusic]

9. They undoubtedly want to hang on to the oil

but how could they? Pulling out 80,000 troops will only embolden the "insurgency".

[Erika]

4. W will withdraw prior to the 06 elections

and tell everyone that we have liberated them, established a democracy, and now it's time to leave...as our military is depleted.

[The Night Owl]

5. Hear that, Iraq? The Bush family is once again abandoning you.

Tell us, Iraq... Did you honestly believe that George W. Bush loses sleep over your fate?

[wanpete]

7. God help you if you are unfortunate enough to be one of the

50-75k soldiers left to fight a losing war against a more empowered insurgency which will be emboldened by our smaller numbers. More casualties, bloody civil war, and a new leader that will make Sadam seem like Mr. Rogers... so sad and not ever one apology nor admittance of a mistake by this arrogant assministration.

[Tippy]

8. Good article in The Progressive Magazine

The Bush Plunge

snip: If Bush is left to his own devices, he would still have 100,000 troops in Iraq at 11:59 a.m. on January 20, 2009. The death toll of American soldiers by then could very well exceed 5,000, the number of U.S. soldiers injured could top 30,000, and the tally of dead Iraqi civilians could surpass 250,000.

And Bush would still say the mission is “worth it.”snip:



< http://www.progressive.org/?q=mag_comm0805 >