Taking Advantage of the Bush/Maliki Security Agreement

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IT looks like the Obama plan for Iraq may be to advantage themselves of every plank of the new agreement that Bush and the Pentagon has negotiated with the Iraqi regime - even the part about U.S. soldiers remaining to train Iraqi troops, fight terror, and 'protect our interests' - as they orchestrate their promised exit.

That may well work out to a clean withdrawal, but from the way the Pentagon and the administration are busy framing the 'agreement' it doesn't look like that will be the case. Too much room to meddle and too much talk about further meddling.

I hope that Pres. Obama will use the Bush/Maliki plan to pull everything out of Iraq as soon as possible. I look forward to that withdrawal effort coming from a disciplined new administration and to see the permanent marginalization of all of these Bush warmongers in the Pentagon who are still busy promoting the occupation as some success in progress instead of the miserable failure that it's been and likely always will be.

I'd really like Pres. Obama to stick to his original complaint (in his written campaign proposals on Iraq) that the SOFA needed to be approved by Congress. That campaign concern turned into just a desire for Congress to merely 'review' the Bush/Maliki agreement after the election was won.

What I'd really like to see is a completely new agreement, initiated and approved by Congress, which reflects the values concerning Iraq that were asserted during the campaign. I'd like to see Congress legislate a clear repudiation of the entire anti-democratic overthrow and installation of the Iraqi government which was waged behind the sacrifices of our nation's defenders.

That probably isn't politically doable, though. More likely, Pres. Obama will have to use the same anti-democratic assumption of power Bush used to deploy and perpetuate the occupation (in the absence of congressional backbone) to effectively draw down the forces.

It would be nice, though, if we could see a plan and a posture on Iraq, next year, from the Obama White House, which is uniquely his own and is free of the constructions in the Bush/Maliki agreement which allow foot-dragging and second-guessing.

I wonder if he'll find a way to reconcile the clinging posture of the exiting administration on Iraq (Gates and other remaining top Pentagon brass included) with his own stated intention to withdraw fully in 16 months; melding his Iraq policy with the Bush/Maliki constructions? Or, will Pres. Obama move aggressively to put his own particular stamp on the future of U.S. involvement there?

[madfloridian]

1. I appreciate your posts about Iraq.

They are thoughtful. I don't often respond, but I notice.

Your journal is very impressive.

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2. aw

thanks, madfloridian. you made my evening :hi:

[rtassi]

3. Same Here!

I don't post often, but your journal is a must read for me!

Peace,
rt

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4. thanks, rtassi

thank you for your kind words and thanks for reading :hi: