Comments on: Report: Bush Administration Negotiating ‘Secret Plan’ To Keep Troops In Iraq ‘Indefinitely’

By: DallasNE

DallasNE — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:23:00 +0000

I’m just not so sure that this report has got it right because al-Maliki will go to Iran this month to consult with their top leaders regarding this security agreement and that is a clear indication that Iraq has grave reservations about the American proposal. Word has it that al-Maliki thinks he needs the Americans to prop up his administration so al-Maliki is looking for other ways to wean Iraq security away from the Americans and that apparently includes buying sophicated weapons from France so he can crush is political opposition. The problem here is what will Iran do should he go after the political opposition militas, hence the talks with Iran for a feel on how far he can go for now.

This region, thus, is far too complicated for this simplistic report, making me not trust its accuracy.

By: Nashoba nowa

Nashoba nowa — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:01:58 +0000

The 104 Acre American Embassy tells the world that the United States will be in Iraq forever, and is a symbol of that Occupation seen daily by the Iraqi people.

By: kasinca

kasinca — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:37:52 +0000

There is time to impeach this thug.

By: gunclinger

gunclinger — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:33:28 +0000

Typically the United States maintains a military presence in countries that it defeats in military conflict. Not sure why Iraq would be any different.

By: DigDug

DigDug — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:31:48 +0000

upside99 Says:
——————————————————————————–

DigDug Says:

“Iraqi legislators saying that they oppose a long-term security agreement “if it does not include a specific timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. military troops.”
Why are the Iraqis trying to legislate defeat?

I REALLY hope this was sarcasm!

I was :)

By: Erroll

Erroll — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:05:04 +0000

#58-Bb says that Obama “… will keep forces there [in Iraq], to protect the oil…” I strongly suspect that move will not exactly win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, now will it? After all, it is not as if it is their country and their oil, now is it? Unless he is stating that Iraq has now become the 51st state of the United States.

By: Bb

Bb — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:52:30 +0000

What does it take to keep a military force viable – FUEL,GASOLIINE,JET FUEL – you don’t have this and you don’t viable military period. This is why no one in the higher reaches of government (administration, congress – either party), have been yelling for removal (and those that did were quietly sent to the back of the room). When Obama makes President, my bet is we will keep forces there, to protect the oil, because he is likely not to have any choice.

Remember we have the biggest stick in town (by far and away), and we are not about to diminish that, especially with the economy about to tank world wide and all ills that will bring.

By: texaslady

texaslady — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:07:01 +0000

#50 – Correct a policy can be undone, however, the harm cannot be undone and if bush/cheney have their way we will be destroying yet another country. How many years, how many lives, how much money will it take to undone what this administration has done ?

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:51:45 +0000

What! Bush&Co in “secret” deals? OMG there must be a terrible mistake — our American government would never do that! It’s not democratic!

Besides, “forever” is not the same as “indefinitely” in the Bush White House.

By: Keltoi

Keltoi — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:42:36 +0000

Erroll Says:
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I find that a comment that I have posted has been “moderated.” I have no idea why this would be since my comment was in no way vituperative. Nor did I engage in any ad hominem attacks against anyone. This procedure would seem to be what one would expect from a far right blog than from a progressive web site.

Weird. Was it the link I requested?

By: hussein toasterhead

hussein toasterhead — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:40:46 +0000

Erroll Says:

June 5th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
______

That happens to all of us on occasion. Don’t take it personally…

By: Erroll

Erroll — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:35:48 +0000

By: Winski

Winski — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:28:07 +0000

Notice how NONE of the US nutbag media have picked this up???

This could effect the U.S. for CENTURIES but NO, race horse story is more important…..

By: tballou

tballou — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:23:57 +0000

C’mon folks – I cant stand Bush and don’t trust him, but there is no way that one President can create a policy that cannot be undone by the next one. This is just silly.

By: Zimzone

Zimzone — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:22:19 +0000

I was watching ‘Iraq – 5 Years Later’ on CNN a couple of weeks back. The film footage showed Jerry Bremer arriving in Baghdad.
Guess who’s face was first on camera?…Gen. David Petreaus.

He was smiling ear to ear, vigorously shaking hands with politicians, & just kind of being a doormat.

Doormat. That kind of describes him, eh?

By: mary

mary — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:14:10 +0000

Breaking: Air Force Chief, Secretary Resign

In the halls of the Air Force’s chiefs, the talk has been largely about the threats posed by China and a resurgent Russia. Gates wanted the service to actually focus on the wars at hand, in Iraq and Afghanistan. “For much of the past year I’ve been trying to concentrate the minds and energies of the defense establishment on the current needs and current conflicts,” he told the Heritage Foundation. “In short, to ensure that all parts of the Defense Department are, in fact, at war.”

By: katy

katy — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:14:01 +0000

toasterhead said:
My real fear about all this is that the administration will sign an agreement that removes military troops from Iraq but leaves a permanent mercenary force in Iraq.

maybe, but, you’d think if they knew they were going to have to
LIVE there, they would’ve built them better…
not?

By: hussein toasterhead

hussein toasterhead — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:09:41 +0000

Erroll Says:

#17- Hussein toasterhead

This will practically ensure that the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people will never be won over when they see American forces still on their soil. Like so many American politicians, Obama is unwilling to sever the knot of American militarism.

June 5th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
_______

I don’t think it’s a matter of “unwilling” as much as “unable.” Obama has sponsored legislation to regulate private military companies, though he has opposed the outright ban of them. As he has explained, the problem is that thanks to the BushCo “privatize everything” policy, we now don’t have the DipSec or military personnel to replace the contractors. It’s no more possible to immediately teleport all the contractors out of Iraq than it is to immediately teleport all the troops out of Iraq. They will need to be drawn down together in a gradual and timely process.

By: katy

katy — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:08:53 +0000

just heard this story on the XM167 – AP radio news…

it wasn’t on the google news front page yet, but a quick search
(permanent bases, crocker) turned up 6 true hits, which quickly
auto-refreshed to maybe 100s… it’s picking up legs…

could it be? the SCLM is trying to do it’s job?

By: Keltoi

Keltoi — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:05:19 +0000

StratRat Says:

This is Bush’s war, not Obama’s.

Well, maybe, but it will be Obama’s to deal with, assuming he wins.