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Asked whether the U.S. is on track to draw down troops from Iraq at the end of the year, Leon Panetta told Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), "It's clear to me that Iraq is considering the possibility of making a request for some kind of presence to remain there."
Panetta said that he has "every confidence" that a request like that is "forthcoming at some point."
Speaking toward the end of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Panetta added that the Iraqi prime minister and leadership would have to present the U.S. with what they need and on what timeline.
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Too BAD - so SAD!
Bring our TROOPS home NOW!
That includes Afghanistan!
All this b!tching about fiscal constraint - getting OUT would go a long way towards some serious savings!
And yet the Big O refuses to bring them all home.
Why Feisty, why won't he listen to you?
If he dosen't the re election is over.
Staying in Iraq one day longer than necessary is insane.
The President did promise a 2011 withdrawal.
He promised a lot of things he didn't keep.
Based on his actions today, he should check with the GOP leadership to see if that's ok.
No, Bush said the withdraw would be 2011, this was agreed in 2008. Either way I knew 2011 would not happen. To many things going on here. By the way Groucho, what group took credit here in the attacks the other day at Loyalty?
3WolvesandaMoon..
Sorry...I don't follow.
You said Obama promised withdraw in 2011, applying that it was his doing. This was agreed upon in 2008 with the Iraqi Government. This has been going on since then with pulling out of the cities in 2009 (June 30th). My opinion and my opinion only, we will not be out of here at the end of 2011.
3Wolves might be referring to the five soldiers killed in Iraq on Monday.
3WolvesandaMoon..
Totally agree with your opinion. We're going to have a base there forever...like Korea, Germany and Japan.
Here's a little research for you, if and this is a big if, who do you think will take over this mission we are doing in 2012?
3WolvesandaMoon
Here's a little research for you, if and this is a big if, who do you think will take over this mission we are doing in 2012?
Just a guess but I think Germany and Poland will step in and play a bigger role. Contractors will be in the mix. We'll have troops there till 2014 i'm betting.
First question:
What sort of "presence" are we talking about?
The United States has national security interests in this region...obviously.
We have some degree of military "presence" in Europe, Japan (and, Okinawa), Korea, the Balkans, and elsewhere.
Given the current upheaval in the Middle East, and Iran's anti-Western and anti-U.S. influence in the region (not to mention the Obama Administration's effort to interdict Iran's efforts to develop nuclear weapons), why shouldn't the United States have some sort of ongoing military "presence" in Iraq...particularly if the host nation requests it?
Rejecting that request seems like counter-productive behavior to me.
The left needs to stop cutting off its nose to spite its face.
You hate the Iraq War.
I get that...understood and acknowledged.
But, this is realpolitik...cold, hard national interest.
Kinda like putting a bullet in Osama bin Laden's eye while totally ignoring his human rights.
It doesn't get any colder or harder than that.
When President Obama decides this is probably a good idea (and, I bet he will)...you'll all be on board, won't you?
I mean...
Meaningless whining and sniveling aside?
Groucho, since it's in the news now, look up the State Department. Roughly around 15-17K personal. Now ask yourself where does the money come from? DOS cost a lot more than the DOD. I bet you won't hear that in the news on the cost.
Time to Skype with the wife....
How best can it be expressed that we are BROKE? You are going to borrow money to train another country's army. how best can we define INSANITY? This is like someone on fire rather quenching the fire on oneself, you runs to quench another mans fire meanwhile you are burning..........really, i wish you well.
Pius-
But... if President Obama should decide that we continue our "presence" in Iraq...?
I'll expect to hear your harshest condemnation of the President.
I can count on that, right?
Sadly Mixed I just can't see Puis doing it.
It's that "LOOVE" thing that Amy was talking about.
back off SPANKY......Your kin brought this upon us.
mixed Bag, these wars have been a monumental blunder on the part of our Leaders. we just can't sustain any of these anymore.
I've said before and am saying it again, BRING BACK OUR TROOPS.
My kin? Whatever are you talking about Pius?
But do tell Pius - why does Obama, the current Commander in Chief refuse to do what you say?
In fact why start up in Libya, oh and did you see the news about Yemen today?
Stop dodging, Pius...
President Obama is going to continue the U.S. "presence" in Iraq, in my opinion.
Just as he's continued and expanded the war in Afghanistan, just as he put a bullet in Osama bin Laden's eye.
If I'm correct about our continued "presence" in Iraq, will you condemn our President, in the strongest possible terms?
Because, if he does continue our "presence" in Iraq, it'll be "your kin" that'll affirm and validate his actions, won't it, pious.?
Oops..did I say "pious"?
Errrr...
I mean...Pius?
Come on guys, Repub...Dem...it doesn't matter. If it is seen as a matter of National Security we'll have a presence. It's all about the balance sheet? Is the presence cost effective? You guys can point fingers all day long and it makes no difference. Going to war over a mistaken assumption or a covert justification is not a foreign concept. We are not a peace-loving nation. We have been involved in international military action about once every 8.5 years since before the founding of this Nation. It's just who we are. So, we can accept the reality of it and perhaps be a little more selective about where and when (like that will ever happen), but when it comes down to it, if it is considered in our National Interest to remain in Iraq it makes no difference who's in power.
Iraq will ask for more time?
Oh, now there's a big surprise. While we've all been worrying about Anthony's wiener, five soldiers were killed in Iraq on Monday.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/06/news/la-web-5-soldiers-killed
It's the dirty little secret that NO one wants us to think about, including President Obama.
It only got a paragraph in the LA times. I won't bother with Anthony Weiner, but even Michael Jackson got more attention than that.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/06/news/sns-la-michael-jackson-thriller-jacket
You know why it's not covered AM? Because Iraq is on Obama's watch and if it was anybody else this would run for days.
This may surprise you, 3Wolves, but I don't disagree with that. The war is one issue where you and I might find a lot of common ground, and not necessarily in the ways that you think.
But what, for example, do you believe is left to do -- at least what's left to do that can be done?
The media never tells us any of this stuff. I feel like I'm living in a bad Orwellian dream.
Continue to train the IA. This country is on the right track, but a time table shouldn't be a way to judge progress.
What did Eisenshower warn us about in his farewell speech???? Oh yeah...the danger of the military industrial complex...and we didn't listen....and this is what happens.
Eisenhower doesn't contribute to Presidential and Congressional campaigns.
Well, if Iraq is willing to pay for the troops to remain there, I suppose we could talk to them. After all, didn't Busy/Cheney promise us that Iraqi oil revenue would pay for the entire deal?
Can a President rescind his siginiture after he foolishly signs a bill into law? Obama could have a chance at getting re-elected if he admits how stupid the healthcare bill and that ridiculous job killing Frank/Dodd bill is and veto's them before Nov. 2012....
Just because Iraq asks is no reason to accomodate them knowing it's time to pull the plug and bring our men and women in Uniform home. The cost in lives, families, children, is just too great. Time to do the right thing and bring the troops home. They have paid a significant price to protect us all.
Military Families are being thrown under the bus here at home, those Ordinary American Families, the Middleclass, the Elderly (Grandma/GrandPa), poor relatives, it's those families childrens and relatives who protect us, not the rich.
We have to shut down BOTH wars and stop NATO "help" to pay down the deficit. The trouble is the republicans have been going there for months to "convince" the Iraqis we need to stay. Didn't they say "reduce the deficit"??
Really grunt? The GOP has been coming here for months? WOW-OK
How much money did pinhead give them to make that request ?...the people are wise to this game now ! Vote out all the old senators and old congress to end these crusades ! Trump is right the USA cant afford to keep Obama as president !
3WovesandaMoon, If I am reading between the lines correctly. Thank you for your service Stay safe.
Little late in posting, but remember, Iraq didn't ask us to destroy their country. Bush did. Perhaps they should sue the Bush and Cheney families to rebuild what we have torn down. We have left that country wide open for the opposition to move in and take over.
You all act like Iraq wanted us there. Shame on us. I want out also, but didn't want to be there in the first place. As far as Afghanistan is concerned. Bush, again, this time too little and much much too late. When we withdraw what do we leave the country? Same thing as the other countries left it. Back to the Taliban and all the murders of the women. Again, shame on us.