Well, at least the SOFA removed immunity for crimes committed by military and “private” forces.

Cause that’s the only way you’re going to get over 250,000 troops, contractors, civilian personnel, and all of their vehicles and equipment out of Iraq instantly.”

Please tell me that you can understand figures of speech and tongue in cheek postings.

December 1st, 2008 at 1:17 pm
____________

Just because the SOFA says troops need to withdraw to bases outside of the cities and towns doesn’t mean that the troops will be staying there no matter what. The agreement also leaves open the possibility that our troops may be called in by the government of Iraq to assist in fighting internal and external threats:

Article 4
The Missions

The Iraqi government requests temporary assistance from the U.S. Forces to support its efforts in keeping peace and stability in Iraq, including cooperation in conducting operations against al Qaida and other terrorist groups and outlaw groups and the remnants of former regime.

All military operations conducted in accordance with this agreement are conducted with the approval of the government of Iraq. Full coordination will take place with the Iraqi authorities regarding these operations and the Joint Military Operations Coordination Committee (JMOCC), which is to be formed according to this agreement, is to supervise the coordination of all the military operations. Any issues regarding proposed military operations that the Committee cannot resolve will be referred to the Joint Ministerial Committee.

Article 27
Deterrence Security Dangers

In order to support the security and stability in Iraq and to contribute to establishing international peace and stability, both parties seek actively to strengthen the political and military abilities for the Republic of Iraq and to enable Iraq to deter the dangers that threaten its sovereignty and political independence, the unity of its land and its democratic federal constitutional system, they agreed upon the following:

When any external or internal danger emerges against Iraq or an aggression upon it violates its sovereignty, its political stability, the unity of its land, water, and airspace or threatens its democratic system or its elected establishments and according to the request of the Iraqi government, the two parties will immediately start strategic talks and according to what they will agree on between them the United States will undertakes the appropriate measures that include diplomatic, economic, military or any other measure required to deter this threat.

I’d like to think that Iraq is suddenly going to magically stabilize itself and there will be absolutely no need for our troops to engage in any type of combat operations starting in June. However, I see no evidence that that is actually going to happen. Iraq is still an extremely fragile, very segregated, barely functional state, with heavily-armed militias poised for all-out war with each other and a few million refugees and IDPs eager to come back to the country and re-occupy their old neighborhoods. It could flare up at any time, before or after June, and our troops will still be involved whether they want to be or not.

December 1st, 2008 at 2:17 pm
_______

Did we finally invent teleportation?

Cause that’s the only way you’re going to get over 250,000 troops, contractors, civilian personnel, and all of their vehicles and equipment out of Iraq instantly.

Combat in Iraq will be over this summer according to the agreement Bush is signing. After June, our troops will be confined to their bases and not allowed to roam on the streets of Iraq. Kind of hard to be engaged in combat on base, don’t you think?

I’ve seen naivety and wishful thinking, but this comment might just take the cake.

¶ AIO

You are of course entitled to your opinion. No matter that it’s based on nothing other than the wishful thinking in your feeble brain.

Combat in Iraq will be over this summer according to the agreement Bush is signing. After June, our troops will be confined to their bases and not allowed to roam on the streets of Iraq. Kind of hard to be engaged in combat on base, don’t you think?

And that Afghanistan is NOT pacified.

And that there are STILL huge numbers of troops, and piles of equipment, and heaps of ammo on the ground in Iraq–on our “temporary” bases there. They’re not going anywhere. When, in the last 70 years, did the US de-occupy any place?

Not Germany or Italy.
Not Japan, or Okinawa.
Not Korea.
Viet Nam! Got our asses kicked right the flock outta there…
Not Panama. We returned ’sovereignty’ there, but still occupy it militarily.
Didn’t ‘occupy’ Grenada, so that doesn’t count.

And there’s the weasel part of the whole thing, the ‘combat troops’ part. I was a titless WAF til one night they tossed me an M-16 and a helmet and told me to shoot at anything that moved.

I can’t believe that Chris Wallace asked someone if they thought that Gates was going to follow Obama’s orders. Does he really think that Gates is that stupid? Does he really think that Gates is going to try to order Obama around? Personally, I’m betting that Gates is relieved and happy that Obama is our new President and now maybe our foreign policy will be made based on a complete and total assessment of a situation rather than a knee-jerk “shoot first and ask questions later” basis like the Bush Crime Family did.

… Rush Limbaugh is out “sick as a dog” today.

This makes me wonder if Rush went back to the Dominican Republic over Thanksgiving and “accidently” overdosed on Viagra.

there is a concerted effort by the media “bobbleheads” and “villagers” to manipulate obama’s agenda, to TRY to make sure he will do things their way… it’s amazing, actually…

two good threads about such yesterday at C&L:

The Chris Matthews Show: Obama’s Problems Will Come From The Angry Left, Not Republicans

This Week Panel: Concern Trolling The Obama Administration To Be More Republican

¶ AIO

Ummm…beg to differ.

It is my understanding that Mr. O does NOT want to “END” the “GWOT,” only to move the front lines closer to the Trans-Caspian oil puddle and the threats to US domination of it posed by china, india, russia, and iran…

this is called “real-politik.” it’s not going away…Read Zbigniew Brzhinksy’s book. He’s a senior Obama foreign policy advisor, former Nat Sec guy, etc…

Forget cars. War is THE big bidness of Uhmruka. Since 1938, the whole USer economy has depended on the Pentagon.

¶ AIO