Look who's insisting on a timetable for withdrawal

[TexasTiger 12,990]

Iraq insists on withdrawal timetable for US troops

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Jul 8, 6:35 PM (ET)

By SALLY BUZBEE

(AP) U.S. Army Sgt. John Orem, right, and Staff Sgt. Eric Atkinson, left, from 4th Squadron, 2nd...

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BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq's national security adviser said Tuesday his country will not accept any security deal with the United States unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces.

The comments by Mouwaffak al-Rubaie were the strongest yet by an Iraqi official about the deal now under negotiation with U.S. officials. They came a day after Iraq's prime minister first said publicly that he expects the pending troop deal with the United States to have some type of timetable for withdrawal.

President Bush has said he opposes a timetable. The White House said Monday it did not believe Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was proposing a rigid timeline for U.S. troop withdrawals.

U.S. officials had no immediate comment Tuesday on al-Rubaie's statement.

Al-Rubaie spoke to reporters after briefing Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf on the progress of the government's security efforts and the talks.

"Our stance in the negotiations underway with the American side will be strong ... We will not accept any memorandum of understanding that doesn't have specific dates to withdraw foreign forces from Iraq," al-Rubaie said.

He provided no details. But Ali al-Adeeb, a Shiite lawmaker and a prominent official in the prime minister's party, told The Associated Press that Iraq was linking the timetable proposal to the ongoing handover of various provinces to Iraqi control.

The Iraqi proposal stipulates that, once Iraqi forces have resumed security responsibility in all 18 of Iraq's provinces, U.S.-led forces would then withdraw from all cities in the country.

After that, the country's security situation would be reviewed every six months, for three to five years, to decide when U.S.-led troops would pull out entirely, al-Adeeb said.

So far, the United States has handed control of nine of 18 provinces to Iraqi officials.

"This is what the Iraqi people want, the parliament and other Iraqi leaders," said al-Adeeb.

The proposal, as outlined by al-Adeeb, is phrased in a way that would allow Iraqi officials to tell the Iraqi public that it includes a specific timetable and dates for a U.S. withdrawal.

However, it also would provide the United States some flexibility on timing because the dates of the provincial handovers are not set.

Some type of troop status agreement between the United States and Iraq is needed to keep U.S. troops in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires at year's end.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080708/D91PUOS80.html

[DKW 86 7,438]

Good News to me!

[AURaptor 1,126]

You mean now that the surge is working ?

The surge which Harry Reid said would not work ?

You mean now, after al Qaeda in Iraq is all but kicked to the curb ?

Gee, that IS interesting

[TexasTiger 12,990]

You mean now that the surge is working ?

The surge which Harry Reid said would not work ?

You mean now, after al Qaeda in Iraq is all but kicked to the curb ?

Gee, that IS interesting

Then why won't Bush agree to it?

[AFTiger 282]

WWOD?

[DKW 86 7,438]

I think the job is almost done. Let the Iraqis give political cover to Bush et al and lets get Tigrinum Major and his buds home. Ultimately, the Iraqis must do the heavy lifting, not us.

[autigeremt 6,660]

You mean now that the surge is working ?

The surge which Harry Reid said would not work ?

You mean now, after al Qaeda in Iraq is all but kicked to the curb ?

Gee, that IS interesting

Then why won't Bush agree to it?

Let's just leave today.......

It's going to happen sooner or later, but it has to be on cue with the Iraqi government. Either way, it proves that the McCain push for the surge has paid dividends.

What has Obama done???? Commuity Organization. YEAH!!!!!

[Tigermike 3,046]

You mean now that the surge is working ?

The surge which Harry Reid said would not work ?

You mean now, after al Qaeda in Iraq is all but kicked to the curb ?

Gee, that IS interesting

Then why won't Bush agree to it?

What has Obama done???? Commuity Organization. YEAH!!!!!

And he was not very good at that.

[GoAU 1,600]

Thats great news. The thing you seem to be missing is that it's because the Iraqi gevernment feels it is ready to start planning a transition - on their terms, not because a bunck of media nitwits and libs don't feel like it's worth the effort or even possible to win a timetable will eventually be needed no matter how you cut things - redeployment of that many troops doesn't happen without a schedule, but us setting a timetable to come home regardless of whether or not the mission is complete is the same thing as admitting defeat. The fact that the Iraqis are ready and asking for it changes everything.

[CCTAU 3,336]

Thats great news. The thing you seem to be missing is that it's be The fact that the Iraqis are ready and asking for it changes everything.

Not in the dim's eyes. They seem to think that now, achmed and the left was right.

Most folks need to vote as if we are never coming home. The war against islam will be waged for years to come. We will more than likely be back several times over the next 50 years. Or at least until there is enough of them to take over the US quietly with numbers.

The thing we must do now is vote for the guy who will provide the necessary tools and equipment for our guys to defend freedom. And we all know who that guy AIN'T.