Just heard on NPR 5:00 a.m. ET US - bu$hit writing in stone with Iraqi gov't to keep troops in Iraq

[Triana]

..for THREE MORE YEARS.

bu$hit is trying to have our troops STUCK in Iraq for THREE MORE YEARS. Once this agreement is reached with the Iraqi gov't, it will be nearly impossible for Obama to change it.

Obama has promised to get us our of Iraq in an uspecified timeframe - the timeframe I've heard mentioned is though, is probably about 16 months. That is less than HALF the timeframe bu$hit is pushing for with the Iraqi Parliament.

THREE YEARS?! That is MOST of Obama's first term.

We heard before that bu$hit would attempt to arrange with the Iraqi gov't to keep troops in Iraq indefinitely - in such a way that it would be difficult if not impossible for Obama or any future Pres to get them out.

Seems that is still true - for at least three years.

STINKING bu$h BASTARD - the OBJECTIVE for HIM and his mil-industrial complex buddies is to keep that money flowing into their coffers for as long as possible, - and to hogtie any future president such that (s)he cannot change it.

:mad:

[thenext8seconds]

1. From what I understand you have it all wrong.

Bush didn't do anything. The Iraqi Cabinet voted in favor of a pact that just ALLOWS troops to stay there for up to 3 years after the U.N. Mandate expires at the end of THIS YEAR. So Iraq is basically just giving us time to get our shit together and pull out.

This is the transcript of the story from AP posted 13 minutes ago on Yahoo! News:

"BAGHDAD – An Iraqi government spokesman says the Cabinet has approved a security pact with the United States that will allow American forces to stay in Iraq for three years after their U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year.

Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh says all 27 Cabinet ministers present in Sunday's meeting, in addition to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, voted in favor of the pact. The Cabinet has 37 members and it is not immediately clear why some ministers stayed away. Several of them are believed to be traveling abroad.

Al-Dabbagh told The Associated Press that the agreement will be submitted to parliament later Sunday, but did not say when the 275-member legislature will vote on the document."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq

Nothing to worry about people. Obviously they had to extend it, they know there's no way logistically for them or us that we would be able to safely have all of our troops out by the end of this year!

[dipsydoodle]

4. Yes- BBC link is more specific

The draft agreement calls for US troops to pull out of Iraqi cities by June 2009 and from the entire country by the end of 2011.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7731971.stm

[thenext8seconds]

5. Yep. Gives us until the end of 2011. Does not mean in any way that we have to stay there.

Not to mention Obama has always said he's start bringing them home 6 months from when he takes office.

Don't worry guys.

[dipsydoodle]

6. Troops out of cities by June 2009

is indeed within the 6 month time frame.:fistbump:

[Triana]

10. Oh good! I'm glad I have it wrong then. Maybe I shouldn't listen to NPR at 5:00 am...

...thanks for the correction. I guess I can calm down now.

[Edweird]

2. Isn't there some way Obama or somebody can tell the Iraqis to 'hold off' for 2 months?

Or do they REALLY want this? On the other hand, wasn't there an article about how Obama was 'poised to rapidly reverse * policies'? Wouldn't this fall under that?

[thenext8seconds]

3. see post above.

It's not a pact that requires us to stay there. It's just ALLOWING US TO.

[Edweird]

8. Well, there you have it. It's all good.

[struggle4progress]

7. It's just more Bush-games: the UN mandate is expiring, because the UN is sick of the crap,

so Bush needs some other way to keep his hand there. Beyond that, the status of the thing isn't really immediately clear to me: unless Bush submits it to the Senate as a Treaty and the Senate approves, it's not a Treaty, so it can't be terribly binding

[Triana]

11. Yea, post #1 above cleared it up. 'Swot I get for listening to the radio at 5:00 a.m.

....I misunderstood.

But then again there is NOTHING I'd put past bu$hit - particularly in his last days. The dirty bastard isn't done with his rape and pillaging of the US yet. He can't GET out of there soon enough.

[struggle4progress]

12. I think you understand the intents of King George's gang of ideologues --

I just don't want to give them credit for too much intelligence

[SoCalDem]

9. ANY agreement made, can be as easily UN-made.

Iraq's "government" is anything but stable..and Moqtada al Sadr is just biding his time until HE takes over..mark my words..

Once he's ensconced on the "throne", NO agreement with the US will be "honored".. take that to the bank...(if you can find one that's not being shut down by the government for insolvency :)./.)