Iraq Wants a Timetable

[SicEmBaylor]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080708/D91PQ1PO0.html

The Iraqi government evidently wants a timetable for the exit of US troops from the country before committing themselves to a long term security deal. The United States is trying to downplay this, but I think that's completely wrong.

We have been trying to find a logical and clear way out of this mess for years, and here the Iraqis have handed us just such an excuse on a silver platter. If we were to play this correctly we could sign the deal, eventually start pulling troops out, and if something goes wrong because of a pre-mature exit then we can blame it on the Iraqi government's timetable and not on our forces or a particular President's decision to remove troops.

This looks like a fantastic opportunity to me.

[tulsaoilerfan]

I think we should be gone today, but i see us being there for at least another decade,if not longer

[JohnnyMack]

The hawks don't want us out.

[OUHOMER]

I read it the same way. if they want us out just say so, Give us a date and we will be gone.

But that does not play into the hands of the powers that be. "The oil company's"

[Widescreen]

I've been supportive of the Iraq war effort. If they really don't want us there anymore, let's leave. I'm hearing some rather unappreciative things out of Iraq - stuff like "Iraq has ended terrorism". Uh, yeah. Nevermind the Americans who died to get us to this point.

[mdklatt]

Cut 'n' runners!! Oh wait....

[SicEmBaylor]

This is a win-win solution to Iraq that our government will find a way to lose.

[Harry Beanbag]

I've been supportive of the Iraq war effort. If they really don't want us there anymore, let's leave. I'm hearing some rather unappreciative things out of Iraq - stuff like "Iraq has ended terrorism". Uh, yeah. Nevermind the Americans who died to get us to this point.

Yeah, pretty much the way I feel. I think it's too soon, but if they can unite in wanting us out, then that's not an entirely bad way to end it.

[JohnnyMack]

Yeah, pretty much the way I feel. I think it's too soon, but if they can unite in wanting us out, then that's not an entirely bad way to end it.

Cynical old me says that the reason Bush is so adamantly opposed to a timetable isn't because as he says, it will give the insurgents a date to put on the calendar to start causing trouble, but rather that regardless of when we leave Iraq it's going to go to **** and he wants to get out of office and be back in Crawford playing checkers before any kind of exit strategy is addressed. That way he leaves someone else holding the bag.

[Harry Beanbag]

Cynical old me says that the reason Bush is so adamantly opposed to a timetable isn't because as he says, it will give the insurgents a date to put on the calendar to start causing trouble, but rather that regardless of when we leave Iraq it's going to go to **** and he wants to get out of office and be back in Crawford playing checkers before any kind of exit strategy is addressed. That way he leaves someone else holding the bag.


Maybe. But be honest and admit that you would feel the same way if you were him. :)

[JohnnyMack]

Maybe. But be honest and admit that you would feel the same way if you were him. :)

He's going to end up looking like Milton from Office Space after the building explodes. He'll just walk away quietly and hope no one notices.

[picasso]

The hawks don't want us out.

I think it's a more complicated stance that that.

[Sooner_Havok]

Dude, I am with SicEm on this. If they want us out, we should just ask them what day we can hand over the keys. If Iran invades them the second we leave, we could just say "Well, you wanted us out. Ask the UN or NATO for help, we're kind of busy right now."

[Sooner_Havok]

I think it's a more complicated stance that that.

I don't know, we are there because the Iraqi people "asked" us to stay. If they are now asking us to leave, I think we should oblige them.

[JohnnyMack]

I think it's a more complicated stance that that.

This is a message board, I try and dumb it down for you people.

[StoopTroup]

Can't we sell them a date?

[Frozen Sooner]

Nah. There's plenty of date trees over there already.

Crap, when we finally figure out a good energy alternative, it'll probably be date based.

Oh, yeah, and good. Let's get the hell out.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080708/D91PQ1PO0.html

The Iraqi government evidently wants a timetable for the exit of US troops from the country before committing themselves to a long term security deal. The United States is trying to downplay this, but I think that's completely wrong.

We have been trying to find a logical and clear way out of this mess for years, and here the Iraqis have handed us just such an excuse on a silver platter. If we were to play this correctly we could sign the deal, eventually start pulling troops out, and if something goes wrong because of a pre-mature exit then we can blame it on the Iraqi government's timetable and not on our forces or a particular President's decision to remove troops.

This looks like a fantastic opportunity to me.The blame for any failure (or success), real or imagined, will be what the MSM wants it to be. Shirley, you know that by now.

[Octavian]

We're not going anywhere IMO. We might have a steady downturn in the number of forces....but we're not going to abandon that sort of foothold in the heart of the Middle East. Even without the escalating possibility of an Israeli-Iranian conflict....we still wouldn't be going anywhere.


We didn't build build those multibillion dollar bases and construct the largest embassy on the planet to simply walk away. Iraqi (and ahem...American) politicians will score short term points for "demanding" a timetable with elections staring them in the face....but situations on the ground will force them to change their previous stances. The newly elected Iraqi leaders have learned the art of political maneuvering in a representative democracy rather well. That's about it.


The goal was never to leave. This discussion might have been productive in 2003.

[Harry Beanbag]

I think it's a more complicated stance that that.


Is it wide?

[Blue]

We're not going anywhere IMO. We might have a steady downturn in the number of forces....but we're not going to abandon that sort of foothold in the heart of the Middle East. Even without the escalating possibility of an Israeli-Iranian conflict....we still wouldn't be going anywhere.


We didn't build build those multibillion dollar bases and construct the largest embassy on the planet to simply walk away. Iraqi (and ahem...American) politicians will score short term points for "demanding" a timetable with elections staring them in the face....but situations on the ground will force them to change their previous stances. The newly elected Iraqi leaders have learned the art of political maneuvering in a representative democracy rather well. That's about it.


The goal was never to leave. This discussion might have been productive in 2003.

I agree. Good post.