'The Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has made a sudden visit to senior defence officials a day after the country's most senior soldier declared his forces would not be capable of securing Iraq's borders until 2020.
The visit seemed prompted by Lieutenant General Babakir Zebari's remarks yesterday, in which he repeated his claim that US forces would need to maintain a presence in Iraq beyond the end of 2011, the current deadline for their exit.
"If I were asked about the withdrawal, I would say to politicians: the US army must stay until the Iraqi army is fully ready in 2020," he said.
Iraq and the US are yet to structure an agreement spelling out future defence arrangements after the end of the mandated withdrawal but both sides have indicated that future bilateral ties could extend to border patrols as well as ongoing training and mentoring.
A senior US official told the Guardian this week that any future military presence here would be "in the tens, or low hundreds, but will be far short of an occupation force".
Support for an ongoing US presence also came last week from an unlikely quarter, Saddam Hussein's former deputy, Tariq Aziz, who told the Guardian that Barack Obama would be "leaving Iraq to the wolves" if he continued to withdraw troops.'
5 comments :
Mindful of their campaign promises, both Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and aides to President Barack Obama this week declared that this summer's withdrawal indeed marks the beginning of the end of U.S. troops in Iraq.
"This commitment will end on the scheduled date, as agreed," al-Maliki said Thursday at a meeting of Iraqi defense officials in Baghdad.
That is the official line Maury, but unofficially many are saying the U.S. will remain "for many years to come," "for decades," etc.
Such statements show you there is no respect whatsoever for the withdrawal agreement signed between the U.S. and the puppet government. And rightly so, because that withdrawal agreement is garbage.
There is this Polish guy I know who supports your side, but openly maintains there will be a prolonged occupation. Also, as I mentioned earlier: Richard Haas said U.S. troops would be staying beyond 2012.
Whatever was signed with Maliki is trash, even this Kurdish clown Zebari agrees.
Ding-dong, the stench is dead:
Al-Dawa Party Unanimously Vote to Drop Al-Maliki
This means loss of "PM" security detail. I'll see you when I see you, Nouri.
Btw Can you imagine these bozos called themselves "Dawa," when maury has clearly explained that Shia is the moon religion of falsehood ?
OT, but related to earlier posts.
A Bosnian Lab helps to indentify victims of Saddam. Link to http://wwww.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/15/ap/world/main6774668.shtml?tag=channelMore;latestRight
"Bosnian Lab Helps Iraq Unearth War Secrets"
This is a matter for the Iraqi and American governments, both of which were elected by their respective peoples. If they agree that US troops should stay in the county until 2050 then so be it. However, I'm sure this won't be necessary given the current capabilities of the Iraqi Army and Police. I hope the Americans get out quickly so the Iraqi Security Forces can smash the remaining terrorists and their supporters without the world's media paying too much attention.
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