What change has President Obama’s troop withdrawal produced? Beyond achieving the goals set out and put in motion by the Bush presidency, nothing.
In conjunction with the Iraqi government, President Bush already set up broad time frames for a slow and responsible withdrawal of forces. The President, under the leadership of the same man who was President Bush’s Secretary of Defense already developed their clear, hold and build policy which has produced the relinquishing of entire Iraqi cities and regions to responsible and adequate Iraqi military forces.
What President Obama has done is continue the Bush policy to finish the job.
President Obama stated that he will withdraw our forces after Iraqi forces have been properly trained are readily equipped to do the job. He feels that such a goal can be accomplished in 18 months. That largely falls around some of the set time frames already established.
In his closing statements the President made it clear that we set out to create a sovereign Iraqi government and that upon our withdrawal, we willhave done so. Well thank you Mr. President, that is what you chastised your predecessor for. If that goal was not necessary, than why not do as you once stated….”withdraw our troops immediately”
Perhaps what is more interesting than what President Obama said is what he didn’t say. The President never said that "all of our forces" would be withdrawn from Iraq. He simply said that all of our combat forces will be withdrawn.
What that means is that we will still have forces there. Some will exist in an advisory capacity, others will exist as combat ready, non-combatants.
What it means is that we will still maintain a presence in Iraq. Left behind will be 35,000 to 50,000 troops. many will be responsible for training and support roles and many will be available for so-called counter terrorism measures.
But President Obama did not make that point clear. Instead he finessed the language to seemingly suit his campaign promises but he may well have delivered his speech under a banner that read “Promisess Unfullfilled”.
President Obama’s withdrawal speech was a magic show and with a slight of hand he made it look like he is ending a war that, truth be told, was already ending.
It is a conclusion that he will try to take credit for but it is a conclusion which we would not be seeing had we not gone with the surge that Senator Obama opposed.
The surge provided enough troops to clear enemy territory, hold it against enemies, and build it up for the citizens. It was the source to the success of the clear, hold, build tactic that led to our ability to turn over the country to it’s own forces. That policy which President Obama opposed gave us time to flush out the enemy, make citizens feel secure and train Iraqi’s how to properly defend and police themselves.
President Obama had no part in that strategy, he opposed it.
Yet today, he tries to take claim for ending the war. A war that is coming to the very conclusion that was put in motion and being achieved by President Bush. Today, President Obama made quite a point of letting the Iraqi people know that we have given them an opportunity. One that he asked them not squander but he neglected to mention that it is one that he also tried to deny the Iraqi people.
The President’s troop withdrawal speech was a welcomed one. It will be wonderful to see a majority of our forces return in victory. But will President Obama leave Iraq hanging if outside influences try to undo the victory accomplished? Will President Obama take credit for ending the war, the war he objected too.
Probably.
After all, he is trying to take credit for the terms and conditions of a withdrawal that was already in motion before he took the oath of office. But again, what is more interesting than what President Obama said is what he didn’t say. That troop withdrawal deadline, is subject to conditions on the ground, a phrase commonly used by President George W. Bush and rejected by liberals. Liberals like President Obama rejected any thought about the conditions in Iraq. They just wanted us out.
Will they express the same disdain to President Obama if “conditions on the ground” change and combat forces have to stay any longer than he stated?
Probably not.
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argueing over whether we should have went into Iraq is pointless at this stage of the game. We are there and we are winning. Now, I have one question, forget about Bush, forget about Obama, would you be ok with Iran and Syria taking over Iraq? Simple question that needs to be ask of those that rail against the Iraq war on a daily basis. I wisj it was over, I waish there were not people hell bent on killing us, I wish 9/11 had never happended, I wish we would never have to go to war. NOw wish in one hand and shit in the other and see witch one fills up first.
Their was a concert date of withdrawal set up the Iraqi Government for 2011. So to complain about Obama setting one is pointless.
oh yeah, its good to see ya in the ring again kempy, your the man brother!!
I disagree with our president laying out a deadline for definitive troop withdrawal from Iraq, this is something that president Bush argued against doing, and rightfully so in the minds of this veteran, while plenty of mistakes have been made, as is the case with all wars, compounding to the building list of mistakes is a concrete withdrawal date, no one benefits from this, the enemy will act accordingly to disrupt this plan, president Obama made a big mistake here, it was almost as bad as Geraldo in the early days of the battle drawing a map in the sand telling everyone, "we are right here getting ready to make a surprise attack"
No just went from supporting Fred Thompson, Romney, to McCain you just switch politicians till you find a winner values be damned. Your right your not wishy washy at all. O and if you want to say I support Clinton, and Kennedy you can piss off. By what polling data do think anyone supports Iraq? I have not seen any polling to suggest that people think Iraq based on what we know now was worth it. You a paristan neo-con hack and I havent switched parties in a very very very long time so piss off kemp this is u4prez in real life I have worked on nourmous GOP campgains and on the hill. Your the waste of time supporting a war the nearly wrecked our armed forces, rolled up Trillions in Debt, and has nearly cost us Afghanistan. Your "truth" is your verison of it no matter how much perfum you spray it still stinks.
You are right hawk and the point is well taken. Thank you.
I did not mean anything Kemp, I just hate to sit down and start reading through a thread and then get to a post that has been deleted. I want to know what was said, that is all. I find it is better to let comments stand. If we deleted all the spam then what would progress do with his time.
Well as I said, I simply removed the spam but I left the the original posts that she placed here under both different names, Anti Federalist Jackie and anonymous. I learned another lesson here though. I will let spam lie where it falls. I think that was the first time I was admonished by Hawk. I am just greatfukl that I did not do what he thought I did. Out of here for now. catch y'all later.
No, it says that all the comments deleted were AFJ, and like I said, probably should have been because she is an idiot... but she still has the right to be heard... I guess... thats what the Constitution says hahaha... I do like reading what she writes, its always good for a chuckle! I need to run to the store.. bb in a bit.
Well that makes sense, AFJ does that all the time, she is a confused one for sure!
Trish and Hawk........Now I get it. You thought that I deleted erocks comments. No, I didn't . I deleted an accidentally spammedcomment from AbtiFederalist Jackie/Amomymous.
I allow erocks stupidity to stand on it's own as well as anyone elses.
I stand by my comment. Stupidity to some is brilliance to others...... see Obama.
By the way, the comments I deleted were the same comments already here under AntiFederalists Jackie and anonymous. Both are the same by the way. I deleted them because I believe Anonymous/ AntiFederalist Jackie apparently accidentally sent the same comment a few times over and over agian. They apparemntly did not know that it went through the first time. it has happened to all of us.
Other than that, I have allowed all remarks, pertinent or not, to stand on their own merit.
Erock is confused, always has been, but censorship sucks!
I have much respect for Kempite, but I must concur with Hawk on this one. Thats just not right Kempite. Although I do agree that most of what AFJ has to say should be stricken anyway LOL.
Hawk...I did not attack free speech. I attacked stupidity. I attacked erocks need to call suppoert for Operation Iraqi Freedom neo-conservative. Aside from that there was no attack on free speech. I simply stated that I will not bother with the repetiotious inapplicable of some. That did not bar you or anyone else from particpating in their dialogue.
** This comment was deleted by Kempite due to inapropriated content **
I can do that too
I will make this my one and only post on this blog. I do not comment when free speech is attacked the way Kemp has attacked it here. I want to know what everyone said, even those I disagree with.
Says a Neo-Con.
Erock...before I write you off as another handful of u4prez wastes of time, please educate yourself on the terms that you use. Do you know what a neo-con is or to you, is it just a catchy, hip, phrase that sounds like an appropriate put down to anyone who believes in defending American interests? How many neo cons are defined by my positions? How many "neo-con" rallies do you see me attending? How many gay neo-cons are running around questioning the role of anti-abortion laws should go.
I do at least have beliefs that I adhere to and am comfortable with. comfortable enough in to influence the party that I believe is most in line with those beliefs. Unlike you, I am not a RHINO and I do not bounce back and forth between beliefs and principles and parties with every change of the season as you do. If you changed your underwear half as much as you changed parties, you might not stink half as bad as your opinions do.
I, along with the near 90 percent of Ameriacns who initially supported our efforts in Iraq, still believe that our mission there is as important today as it was before we went. Your luxury of retrospect and lack of committment has turned you back on reality and even your own initial opinions. The 10 reasons artuiculated in the U.N. resolutions calling for Saddam's removal and that were supported by your ideologiocal heirs such as Kennedy, Clinton, Kennedy, and Gore, still remain as valid as ever. Now you can live your life in continued denial and confusion if you want. But do not make false allegations and call people names that have no bearing or connection to them. Your confusion is your confusion but do not cloud the truth of others and of reality with your ideological confusion and inability to maintain a stregnth of your convictions. With that said, until you can appropriately correct yourself, you are a waste of time and shall be dealt with as such.
** This comment was deleted by kempite due to inappropriated content **
** This comment was deleted by kempite due to inappropriated content **
** This comment was deleted by kempite due to inappropriated content **
** This comment was deleted by kempite due to inappropriated content **
yes sending our troops home will help stimulate an econmy that already cannot employ workers ... very smart president pineapple ... There is no way to send all our troops to Afgan so they will simply return home and be another dead weight on our economy... or maybe they will be added to that unit in Indiana to "assist" the national guard. This new unit is filled with soldiers who were in Iraq (experience with urban warfare) so that whe nthe time comes they cn bust down the doors of law abiding taxpayers and take away their freedome to privacy in attempts to STEAL their guns and rights to being secure within their own home ... this is another program president pineapple is starting ... In Iowa troops are already being seen marching down residential areas with GUNS DRAWN ... watch out Americans Obama and his minions are coming to steal your freedoms away ...but its ok b/c you'll have a nice tax return in april *eyeroll* Wake up people!!! Obama is a huge detriment to this country. He has already spent more money than bush (his stupid stimulus plan wasn't 1 trillion it recurs once every five yrs so thats FIVE trillion) then all the money he is now asking for... He is spending more than Bush on NOTHING and he is a hero??? wake up this pineapple is taking away your rights your money and the quality of life American strive for not just yours but also your childrens... Stop listening to the rhetoric Obama is trouble!!!
** This comment was deleted by kempite due to inappropriated content **
** This comment was deleted by kempite due to inappropriated content **
** This comment was deleted by kempite due to inappropriated content **
yes sending our troops home will help stimulate an econmy that already cannot employ workers ... very smart president pineapple ... There is no way to send all our troops to Afgan so they will simply return home and be another dead weight on our economy... or maybe they will be added to that unit in Indiana to "assist" the national guard. This new unit is filled with soldiers who were in Iraq (experience with urban warfare) so that whe nthe time comes they cn bust down the doors of law abiding taxpayers and take away their freedome to privacy in attempts to STEAL their guns and rights to being secure within their own home ... this is another program president pineapple is starting ... In Iowa troops are already being seen marching down residential areas with GUNS DRAWN ... watch out Americans Obama and his minions are coming to steal your freedoms away ...but its ok b/c you'll have a nice tax return in april *eyeroll* Wake up people!!! Obama is a huge detriment to this country. He has already spent more money than bush (his stupid stimulus plan wasn't 1 trillion it recurs once every five yrs so thats FIVE trillion) then all the money he is now asking for... He is spending more than Bush on NOTHING and he is a hero??? wake up this pineapple is taking away your rights your money and the quality of life American strive for not just yours but also your childrens... Stop listening to the rhetoric Obama is trouble!!!
A withdrawal that the Iraq government forced the American government to accept Bush and McCain wanted to stay in Iraq well past 2011 and thanks to this reckless war our troops are now heading to Afghanistan where we failed to win and the situation has become dire. Thanks for another neo-con piece on the Iraq war.
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