Bush Sets TimeTable, excuse me, "time horizon" for Iraq

[HuskyCaucasian]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/07/...l_time_hori.php

 

The United States and Iraq have agreed to seek "a general time horizon" for deeper reductions in American combat troops in Iraq.

 

Iraqi officials, in a sign of growing confidence as violence decreases, have been pressuring the United States to agree to a specific timeline to withdraw U.S. forces. President Bush has adamantly opposed a timeline, and the White House said Friday that the timeframe being discussed would not be "an arbitrary date for withdrawal."

 

Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki talked about the timing issue as part of discussions over a broader security agreement to keep American troops in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires on Dec. 31.

 

The White House says the two leaders, in a conversation on Thursday, agreed that the accord should include "a general time horizon for meeting aspirational goals, such as the resumption of Iraqi security control in their cities and provinces and the further reduction of U.S. combat forces from Iraq."

 

Iraq has proposed requiring U.S. forces to fully withdraw five years after the Iraqis take the lead on security nationwide — though that precondition could take years to meet.

 

Earlier this month, Iraq's national security adviser, Mouwaffak al-Rubaie, said Baghdad would not accept any security deal unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces. Al-Maliki also has said he expects the pending troop deal with the United States to have some type of timetable for withdrawal.

 

Bush has vetoed legislation approved by the Democratic Congress setting deadlines for American troop cutbacks.

[bmags]

So glad it looks like this war is really going to end in the next 4 years.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Iraqi Prime Minister Backs Obama Troop Exit Plan

 

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a German magazine he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months.

 

In an interview with Der Spiegel released on Saturday, Maliki said he wanted U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible.

 

"U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

 

It is the first time he has backed the withdrawal timetable put forward by Obama.

 

Dr. Susan Rice, senior national security advisor to the Obama Campaign, issued this statement in response to al-Maliki's declaration of support:

S

enator Obama welcome

s

Prime Mini

s

ter Mali

k

i'

s

s

upport for a 16 month timeline for the redeployment of U.

S

combat brigade

s

. Thi

s

pre

s

ent

s

an important opportunity to tran

s

ition to Iraqi re

s

pon

s

ibility, while re

s

toring our military and increa

s

ing our commitment to fini

s

h the fight in Afghani

s

tan.

 

White House Accidentally E-Mails Story On Iraqi PM Backing Obama Withdrawal Plan To Reporters

 

As Reuters reported earlier today, Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki has voiced his support for Obama's withdrawal plan. Needless to say, such support is not a PR victory for the Bush administration. And so it was no doubt embarrassing when, according to ABC's Jake Tapper, the White House sent the article--accidentally--to reporters:

The White House employee had intended to send the article to an internal distribution list, ABC News' Martha Raddatz reports, but hit the wrong button.

[lostfan]

I highly doubt a withdrawal from Iraq is going to be possible in 16 months to be honest.

[HuskyCaucasian]

McCain camp reacts to Maliki’s call for withdrawal: Voters don’t care what Iraqi leaders say

 

In response to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s clear statement in support of a 16-month redeployment from Iraq, a senior McCain official tells Marc Ambinder “Voters care about the military, not about Iraqi leaders.” A “prominent Republican strategist” who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said more candidly, “We’re f***ed.” Recall, this is what McCain said in 2004:

QUE

S

TION: Let me give you a hypothetical,

s

enator. What would or

s

hould we do if, in the po

s

t-June 30th period, a

s

o-called

s

overeign Iraqi government a

s

k

s

u

s

to leave, even if we are unhappy about the

s

ecurity

s

ituation there? I under

s

tand it

’

s

a hypothetical, but it

’

s

at lea

s

t po

s

s

ible.

 

McCAIN: Well, if that

s

cenario evolve

s

, then

I thin

k

it

’

s

obviou

s

that we would have to leave

becau

s

e

—

if it wa

s

an elected government of Iraq

—

and we

’

ve been a

s

k

ed to leave other place

s

in the world. If it were an extremi

s

t government, then I thin

k

we would have other challenge

s

, but I don

’

t

s

ee how we could

s

tay when our whole empha

s

i

s

and policy ha

s

been ba

s

ed on turning the Iraqi government over to the Iraqi people.

 

LOL! the "We’re f***ed" comment is great.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Here's a shocker. Shortly after the PM said a 16 month timetable was ok with him. the spokesman for the PM said what he said was incorrect. The press release was sent through CentCom? Kinda odd, dont you think? Well, we found out why:

 

The statement by an aide to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki calling his remarks in Der Spiegel "misinterpreted and mistranslated" followed a call to the prime minister's office from U.S. government officials in Iraq.

 

Maliki had expressed support for a withdrawal plan similar to that of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in an interview with Der Speigel. U.S. troops should leave Iraq "As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned," Maliki had said. "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

 

But after the Spiegel interview was published and began generating headlines Saturday, officials at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad contacted Maliki's office to express concern and seek clarification on the remarks, according to White House spokesman Scott Stanzel.

 

Later in the day, a Maliki aide released a statement saying the remarks had been misinterpreted, though without citing specific comments.

[Texsox]

Election year pandering and a bunch of noise ZZZZzzzzz