iraq withdrawal

For Obama It's One (Term) if by War, Two if by Peace

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:08:04 -0500

by Harvey Wasserman

As the world awaits Barack Obama's decision on Afghanistan, a lethal myth has spread. It says that standing up to the military will doom him to be a single-term president.

Iraqis Pass Election Law Crucial to US Withdrawal Plans

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:12:48 -0500

by Warren P. Strobel and Sahar Issa

BAGHDAD — After nearly a dozen delays and a final, rowdy session, Iraq's parliament on Sunday passed a law setting national elections for January, averting for now a political crisis that threatened to unravel the country's slow progress toward stability.

Approval of the law eases a growing source of concern for the Obama administration. President Barack Obama is considering sending 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, and successful elections here are key to a major reduction in U.S. combat forces in Iraq by next summer.

US Commander in Iraq Warns of Threat to Pull Out... of Withdrawal

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:23:05 -0400

by Oliver August

President Obama's pledge to withdraw US troops from Iraq and end combat operations there by September 2010 is under threat because of increased levels of violence and bickering within the Iraqi parliament, the top US general in the country has told The Times.

General Ray Odierno said that militant groups were likely to conduct a bloody campaign in the months ahead, as Iraqis prepare for national elections at the beginning of next year.

US 'to Speed up Iraq Withdrawal'

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:03:02 -0400

The US military commander in Iraq is set to announce that the US will withdraw 4,000 of its soldiers from the country by the end of October.

General Ray Odierno is due to tell the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that the US is speeding up its military withdrawal to complete it by September 2010.

In an advance copy of his address, Odierno said: "We have approximately 124,000 troops and 11 Combat Teams operating in Iraq today. By the end of October, I believe we will be down to 120,000 troops.

Iraq May Hold Vote On US Withdrawal

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:42:50 -0400

by Ernesto Londoño

BAGHDAD -- U.S. troops could be forced by Iraqi voters to withdraw a year ahead of schedule under a referendum the Iraqi government backed Monday, creating a potential complication for American commanders concerned about rising violence in the country's north.

Iraq Exit Poses Daunting Logistics

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:23:17 -0400

by Bryan Bender

WASHINGTON - For years, US military planners have worried about the risks of maintaining a large force in Iraq. Now, they are worrying about how to get it out.

In what is shaping up to be the biggest logistical challenge since the Vietnam War, the Pentagon is grappling with how to transfer out what a top official calls "mountains of equipment,'' along with 143,000 troops and a similar number of civilians, amid the continuing threat of roadside bombs, ambushes, and suicide attacks from insurgents and terrorists.

Iraq: Nightmare or New Democracy?

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:30:18 -0400

by Adil E. Shamoo & Bonnie Bricker

Parliament members are afraid to attend meetings. Iraq's nascent economy is deteriorating. Hundreds of armed militias are ready to fight for their own interests. This is Iraq today.

Iraq a Failed Imperialist Venture

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:35:56 -0400

by Haroon Siddiqui

American troops were not welcomed with flowers in Iraq but their departure from cities and towns has been.

Iraqis celebrated National Sovereignty Day Tuesday as U.S. troops were yanked out of populated centres and put into remote bases.

In time, even that hidden presence will begin to grate on the Iraqis, just as a U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia had spurred Osama bin Laden and others.

W is for Withdrawal

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:09:05 -0400

by Robert C. Koehler

“From now on, the war they started is ours.”

Seemingly these words of an Iraqi soldier, noted in a Guardian U.K. story, were uttered in pride. This was on June 30: National Sovereignty Day, the day U.S. troops withdrew from Iraqi cities. Sorry, but it sounds more like someone enthusing over a case of venereal disease.

Troop Movement, Not Troop Withdrawal

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:02:17 -0400

by Dennis Kucinich

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) made the following statement on June 30, 2009 regarding the announcement that U.S. troops have left the cities and towns of Iraq and turned over formal security to Iraqi security forces:

The withdrawal of some U.S. combat troops from Iraq’s cities is welcome and long overdue news. However, it is important to remember that this is not the same as a withdrawal of U.S. troops and contractors from Iraq.