Politics | 02/27/2009 12:20 pm
Obama Vows: Iraq Combat Mission Done by 2010
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President Obama took to the stage today to announce his long-awaited plan on the Iraq War. Speaking at a military base in North Carolina, Mr. Obama pledged a relatively swift end to the war, saying:
‘Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end … As we carry out this drawdown, my highest priority will be the safety and security of our troops and civilians in Iraq,’ he said. ‘We will proceed carefully, and I will consult closely with my military commanders on the ground and with the Iraqi government. There will surely be difficult periods and tactical adjustments. But our enemies should be left with no doubt: This plan gives our military the forces and the flexibility they need to support our Iraqi partners, and to succeed.’
That timetable, three months longer than what Obama projected on the campaign trail, gives Iraqis enough time to settle further into democracy and hold elections in December. It also allows American forces to offer more comprehensive training to the nation’s security forces. Though the combat mission will be over, President Obama has said that he plans on keeping about 50,000 troops on the ground for counterterrorism and training missions through the end of 2011.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats have criticized this approach, saying they need more explanation on why we need to maintain such high levels.
Though Pelosi scoffs at the plan, the president did find robust support from some Republican lawmakers, including former rival John McCain, who said today, "I am cautiously optimistic that the plan as laid out by the president can lead to success."
Read more about: Barack Obama, Iraq, Iraq War, John McCain, Nancy Pelosi, News, Politics, U.S., Withdrawal
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Some Republicans are not as fond of McCAin as some of the Dems are not of their Hillary…
But just like you they would take him over a member of the opposite party most likely!
By Anne E. Kornblut
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.— Before announcing his plan for withdrawing troops from Iraq, President Obama made an intriguing courtesy call on Friday morning: to former president George W. Bush, who began the war that Obama has so vehemently opposed.
White House officials did not elaborate on the call, which Obama placed from a holding room at Camp Lejeune just moments before he gave his long-awaited speech. Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, said Obama made the call "as a courtesy" to the former president.
Earlier in the day, aboard Air Force One, Obama called another interested party, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki. The Iraqi prime minister had already declared that he was unconcerned about the troop withdrawals, which will leave about 50,000 U.S. troops in place even after the bulk of the forces leave in August of 2010.
Welocome to Bush’s World….ONLY IN SAN FRANCISCO!!
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration has lost its argument that the state secrets privilege is a good enough reason to stop a lawsuit over the government’s warrantless wiretapping program.A federal appeals court in San Francisco has rejected the Justice Department’s request for an emergency stay. The Obama administration, like the Bush administration before it, claimed that national security would be compromised if a lawsuit brought by the U.S. chapter of an Islamic charity was allowed to proceed.
The case was brought by the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, a defunct charity with a chapter in Oregon.
The appeals court decision is a setback for the new Obama administration as it adopts some of the same positions on national security and secrecy as the Bush administration. "
Once they got the security briefing they decided Bush’s policies were not all that bad..HMMM
The appeals court decision is a setback for the new Obama administration as it adopts some of the same positions on national security and secrecy as the Bush administration. "
Queenie….well, he called President Bush today…do ya suppose he wanted some fatherly advice….just wonderin’!
Actually that plan was in the works long before according to my nephew in the country at the time. But it was all contingent on the stability at the time.
When things are in turmoil it is not the time to be advertising when you are going to leave.
The enemy was know to stand down and make thing appear to settle down to give a false sense of security and then as soon as their guard was down they attacked.
It is battle 101
So glad the President is making this decision. Also glad to see the Military Commanders give him their advice which he is in complete agreement. Those naysayers are not military experts and would do well to stop commenting on areas that are not within their areas of expertise.
Pelosi should have not uttered a word. I was dissapointed in her. Neither should Reid. The President is making the decisions as he should with no favortism. Good for him
Our President has inherited a huge mess and it would be nice if these Pundits and Media so called know it alls would back off and just let him do his job.
When President Bush was in office we barely heard a word, now that we hve a good President, everyone has to give their opinion and it doesn’t mean anything. The Economist are drowned out by the daily grind of Cable TV Reporters, Anchors and Pundits.
Thank goodness Americans don’t count on these folk for advice, we do our own research on the issues and share it with family, friends, neighbors and that we have a President looking out for Ordinary Americans.
Thank you Mr. President!
It would also be great if this site would call him Mr. President or President Obama not Obama. It’s a matter of respect for the person who holds the highest office in the land.
Just my thoughts!