Iraq War Is OVER!!!!
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Obama to speak on Iraq troop levels
By BEN FELLER, AP White House Correspondent – 17 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Friday was poised to address the status of U.S. forces in Iraq amid expectations of a full withdrawal by year's end.
The president was to speak at about 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT) after completing a secure video conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Obama's announcement may close off the possibility of maintaining a U.S. military presence in Iraq beyond a Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline set in 2008.
It would also mean that after eight years of war in Iraq, Obama would be making good on his campaign promise to wind down the conflict.
Pulling troops out by the end of this year would also allow al-Maliki to claim victory for ending the American presence and restoring Iraqi sovereignty.
More than 4,400 American military members have been killed since the U.S. invaded Iraq in March 2003.
The U.S. military presence in Iraq is currently at about 40,000.
Two U.S. officials told The Associated Press last week that the United States does not plan to keep troops in Iraq past the year-end withdrawal deadline, except for a small number of active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.
Yet Defense Secretary Leon Panetta expressed hope Monday that the United States and Iraq can soon reach agreement on a possible U.S. military training role in Iraq beyond Dec. 31, when all American troops are scheduled to depart.
At issue has been whether to negotiate a new security agreement to ensure that gains made and more than 4,400 American military lives lost since March 2003 do not go to waste.
In recent months, Washington had been discussing with Iraqi leaders the possibility of several thousand American troops remaining to continue training Iraqi security forces.
But a senior Obama administration official in Washington confirmed Saturday that all American troops will leave Iraq except for about 160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.
Throughout the discussions, Iraqi leaders have adamantly refused to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, and the Americans have refused to stay without it.
Moreover, Iraq's leadership has been split on whether it wanted American forces to stay.
When the 2008 agreement requiring all U.S. forces leave Iraq was passed, many U.S. officials assumed it would inevitably be renegotiated so that American forces could stay longer.
The U.S. said repeatedly this year it would entertain an offer from the Iraqis to have a small force stay behind, and the Iraqis said they would like American military help. But as the year wore on and the number of American troops that Washington was suggesting could stay behind dropped, it became increasingly clear that a U.S. troop presence was not a sure thing.
The issue of legal protection for the Americans was the deal-breaker.
Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
By BEN FELLER, AP White House Correspondent – 17 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Friday was poised to address the status of U.S. forces in Iraq amid expectations of a full withdrawal by year's end.
The president was to speak at about 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT) after completing a secure video conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Obama's announcement may close off the possibility of maintaining a U.S. military presence in Iraq beyond a Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline set in 2008.
It would also mean that after eight years of war in Iraq, Obama would be making good on his campaign promise to wind down the conflict.
Pulling troops out by the end of this year would also allow al-Maliki to claim victory for ending the American presence and restoring Iraqi sovereignty.
More than 4,400 American military members have been killed since the U.S. invaded Iraq in March 2003.
The U.S. military presence in Iraq is currently at about 40,000.
Two U.S. officials told The Associated Press last week that the United States does not plan to keep troops in Iraq past the year-end withdrawal deadline, except for a small number of active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.
Yet Defense Secretary Leon Panetta expressed hope Monday that the United States and Iraq can soon reach agreement on a possible U.S. military training role in Iraq beyond Dec. 31, when all American troops are scheduled to depart.
At issue has been whether to negotiate a new security agreement to ensure that gains made and more than 4,400 American military lives lost since March 2003 do not go to waste.
In recent months, Washington had been discussing with Iraqi leaders the possibility of several thousand American troops remaining to continue training Iraqi security forces.
But a senior Obama administration official in Washington confirmed Saturday that all American troops will leave Iraq except for about 160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.
Throughout the discussions, Iraqi leaders have adamantly refused to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, and the Americans have refused to stay without it.
Moreover, Iraq's leadership has been split on whether it wanted American forces to stay.
When the 2008 agreement requiring all U.S. forces leave Iraq was passed, many U.S. officials assumed it would inevitably be renegotiated so that American forces could stay longer.
The U.S. said repeatedly this year it would entertain an offer from the Iraqis to have a small force stay behind, and the Iraqis said they would like American military help. But as the year wore on and the number of American troops that Washington was suggesting could stay behind dropped, it became increasingly clear that a U.S. troop presence was not a sure thing.
The issue of legal protection for the Americans was the deal-breaker.
Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
I doubt we would have left before his ass was chillin next to a wall looking at the business ends of 5 assualt rifles waiting for firing squad orders.
Hey come one Sicc this is good news, shit was going nowhere. Mission was accomplished in a few months and capturing Saddam was the gravy. Not only will we save money (hundreds of millions of $) a day but all our homeboys and girls won't be gettin blown up. These are good things.
Hey come one Sicc this is good news, shit was going nowhere. Mission was accomplished in a few months and capturing Saddam was the gravy. Not only will we save money (hundreds of millions of $) a day but all our homeboys and girls won't be gettin blown up. These are good things.