Stupid. It's time to get out.

Having said that, however, I am very concerned about what will fill the void we have created and are leaving.

But I like Amy's analogy. Too bad it seems to apply to all aspects of government - once they get the money they just want more, whether it be war, stimulus, or green energy.

"...whether it be war, stimulus, or green energy."

...or pushing for legislation of morals.

Yes. We see what you mean.

Spanky, even as you admit you agree, you can't resist a few digs at the President.

It's not our concern what Iraq does next. Any more than it is Iraq's concern what we do next. We should have thought about that when we got involved and during the time we were there.

And Obama wins 2012 re-election. That's the meaning of this unforgivable gaffe from GOP whom have tenaciously failed to read the mood of where the general public stand on all war issues. A slim hope is finally quelled.

Spanky found that sniper yet, If you knew how to read you might find that according to the republican cult Bush set this up and Obama had no option or choice and now the republican cult is blaming Obama for pulling out. So which is it spanky Your cult seems to want it both ways again. Fear is a funny thing and can turn rational people into loones. Your party seems to be divided on this issue just like they are on a candidate to run. You know what they say Spanky a house divided. By the way I think I hear a drone over you. Obama is coming for you

Amy -

Just loved your simile. So good!

I wrote yesterday that if the President walked on water, the Republicans would say he couldn't swim. This criticism is absolutely in that vein.

The President WON the election of 2008 by a substantial national margin, with his promise of withdrawal from Iraq one of the main campaign issues. The nation in part chose him to do that. And the nation has held fast, even grown more resolute, to that objective. I just read a local news article reporting interviews with service families who have either lost someone in Iraq, or have a family member on deployment there now - and they unanimously approve. In fact, most are strongly against the war, period.

The petty, mean-spirited Republicans once again show their disdain for the national will and the country's best interests. They resemble a murder* of crows, flying about after insects at twilight and shrilling their harsh cries, spreading their droppings about the landscape.

(* The collective noun for a flight of crows is a "murder")

Of course, those Republicans want to keep the war at all cost. Even if that means that they will cut medicaid and medicare for old and disabled folks.

They just need to sour the milk all the time. Bunch of sour limes. They are desperate!

They do not have one decent person in the whole bunch worth a grain of salt!

Romney's sentiment is in tune with what Republicans have said Friday afternoon; most GOP voices have expressed concern that the withdrawal would imperil progress made after almost nine years' worth of war in Iraq.

And the whole US knows that this war has been a money pit, a black hole with no end. Those A****S do not get it. They can't be pleased one way or another. It was the brilliant idea of those stupid arrogant republicans to start this war for NO REASON AT ALL.

What progress is this Dumbass Romney talking about? Go ahead and pick a bone with some of those other lunatics from your party. Leave the business of war alone.

Holy Sh*T Spankster..And here you are hedging again offering no solution to the "void" we created. AND somehow managing to segue into "green energy and gubment spending." So how bout we enact a surtax to pay for this 768 billion dollar Republican Debacle...I am willing to pay 2% of next years income tax what about you and the rest of the connie yellow streaks on this board? Or are you going to segue into another topic as opposed to answering my question directly.

Prevarication: They name is Spanky!

If Mitt Romney and the other GOP clowns feel that somebody needs to go to Iraq to get blown up, I suggest that they volunteer for the job.

I have a great idea, lets gag, blindfold Romney and Graham and drop them off in the middle of Baghdad. I would like them to experience for one day what my Brother in Law endured on 2 year and a half deployments. Some of these guys have been through absolute hell and Romney would sell them out in a NY minute to get elected. What a low life..

Republicans criticize Obama over Iraq withdrawal

Shocked! I'm shocked, I tell you.

/facepalm

I envision another flip flop commercial against Romney. He is for Iraq war continuing. He is against Iraq war continuing. It depends on the state, city and donor.

Romney see's this as another business venture where he's go to do or say anything regardless of how the story line depicts his image. Flip flopping to Romney can now be confirmed as a way of life.

Spanky

After following FR for a year or so I do believe this is the first time I agree with you.

This is crazy. Whatever the president is for, republicans are against, no matter what. Americans are sick of this war, and it is time to get out. Go ahead, camaign on us staying in Iraq and getting more of our folks killed over there, go ahead and campaign on the benefits of wasting lives and money so we can continue to beat this dead horse!

People are comparing the 2008 Democrat debates, and forget that Hillary lost first and foremost because of her voting record on invading/occupying Iraq.

Amy, I also had that reaction, just LMAO at how ridiculous the Teapublican criticism is on what should be another "no-brainer" issue. The majority of Americans, including conservatives, want out of the wars. When I first saw the article title I thought, now what? Do Teapublicans want spending cuts to offset the draw down?!

Do Teapublicans want permanent job creation for a temporary recession, and then they'll be for jobs? Do Teapublicans want to spend on nation-building and foreign aid abroad instead of disaster relief here in the US? Do Teapublicans want to maintain an all-volunteer army and bases around the world instead of investing in education and safety by saving teacher and first responder jobs here?

And finally, do Teapublican supporters really buy into this chicken crap?

I believe that the next move should be to take all of our congressmen and women out of government service. Lindsey Graham is, I believe, a Colonel in the RESERVE Air Force. His counterpart in the South Carolina contingent is Joe "YOU LIE!" Wilson, another double dipping field grade officer in the Air NG. What duties do they perform? NADA! How do they justify this?

LoL Republicans criticize the withdrawal, even though a December, 2011, deadline wasn't a campaign promise -- it was Bush's own security deal --

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/432338.aspx

-- albeit that he only made the deal to avert a looming election disaster caused by Maliki's agreement with candidate Obama about a 16-month troop withdrawal deadline proposal.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,566841,00.html

You can't make this stuff up.

But you CAN predict it.

Spanky:

Having said that, however, I am very concerned about what will fill the void we have created and are leaving.

As well you should be, but like Tonto to the Lone Ranger, I do have to ask "what you mean, we?"

Own it, Spanky.

Romney's sentiment is in tune with what Republicans have said Friday afternoon;

The correct path as always, just the opposite of Tea-Baggies and Republicans.... wink ;-)

2+ years late but almost certainly better than his predecessor would have done. Sigh!

the republicans called Bill Clintons help to our allies NATO a disaster waiting to happen .. they were wrong.. they cheered when G W Bush invaded Iraq callled it a great victory for the USA .. they were wrong ...When our allies asked for our help in Libya the republicans called it a disaster waiting to happen ..once again they were wrong .. the republicans just dont seem to get it when it comes to foreign affairs .. they are always wrong ... so who do we the people believe will be able to steer us thru the next four years of turmoil in the world .. BARACK OBAMA mission accomplished

Fine. Let the Republicans have their little tantrum. While they are at it, they can dig into their own personal pockets and pay the American people back the 700 Billion they owe us. If they wish to maintain a presence in Iraq, then they can take their useless butts over there and occupy it themselves and leave America to be run by the civilized adults.

In the course of a decade, the party of the elephant has shrunken into an impotent, smelly pig.

The President has more Foreign policy success, than all of these idiots combined, and you can throw in Bush II and he still leads.

So let me get this straight SPIDER, by volunteering to serve his Country this some how alleviates our Leaders from making responsible decisions with our Military?.. One day our youth will be smart enough to know better and people like yourself can pack sand or better yet pick up a weapon and fight, or are you just ok with others dying for your idealism?

And if we stayed, exactly what would we do that would make a difference if we pulled out 6 months from now? A year? Two years? Fact is: we have nothing left to do. The Iraqis want us out. We should leave.

The Republicans are so far beyond listening to that all they are are noise... fading noise.

...and Obama criticizes GOP for getting us in there to begin with and continuous ok'ing the yearly budgets under Bush W. to rack up a $trillion debt.

its interesting, the republicans want to cut all funding including to the military yet, now complain about bringing our troops home..looks like they will never be happy

Republicans have been hammering Obama for starting two more wars (Libya and Uganda - which we are barely involved in) and now they don't want to end one of the wars that is most costly? I don't understand.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day Screeeem.

Spanky,

What about a broken record?

Just asking.

"B-B-B-B-W-W-W-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A!!"

:)

So let me get this straight, the GOP/TP are now standing before us with a straight face and saying we need to keep our brave men and women in danger over in Iraq, leaving their spouses and families here to struggle, scratch, scrape and in some cases suffer through our own tough time....because the people of Iraq need them more, after 9 years already and want them to continue to babysit/ oversee/ meddle in there own countries affairs? ...oh and its Obama's fault?

I continue to be amazed...because I just refuse the give up believing that the GOP are really humans waaay deeep down inside and can somehow be reached. Therefore I hold out hope that as adults elected to serve Americans, that one fine day, the light bulb will go off and they will actually hear how ridiculous, prideful, stubborn and hateful they sound and see the damage they are doing to our country and her people as they try to defame, discredit and disrespect the president in every regard.

This would really be a hilarious sitcom if it wasn't the reality of our country and our lives at stake! Laughing to keep from crying.

What's new they criticize just about everything he does even when it is something that they wanted done.

Let's face it ... when it comes to Obama, the Republicans are like a dog in heat!!!! Right or wrong, there's not a fence high enough to keep them out.

Bachmann needs to read about WWI. Repayment for wars doesnt have a good history. It tends to backrupt the people who need to rebuild.

Republicans are upset with President Obamas handling of "ending" the war in Iraq? Huh.

I wonder why they didn't get out the anti-acids, when Bush lied, to start the war. Yeah,W lied.

As Tom Hanks said in the movie Forrest Gump,"Stupid is as, stupid does."

I cannot wait for the 2012 election, there isn't a Tea Party led Republican candidate, currently vying for the title of "President, who dneserves, a single vote, from any intelligent American voter.

"Run Romney, Bachmann, Perry, Cain, Gingrich, RUN!

John A -- Your reference to crows reminds me of a great song by Amos Lee. ; )

Spanky -- Iraq can take care of themselves. We can effectively deal with Iran if need be.

This pile-on strategy by the Republican party shows lack of statesmen in the party. They can't help themselves it seems. Too bad.

Anna Molly -- It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic of them. Spanky is struggling with alignment. ; )

Say it with me everyone: Damned if you do, Damned if you don't!

There is nothing this President can do that the GOP will not find fault with. It's becoming comical now.

Spanky- ... the problem with this logic is ... as far as Iraq ... Bush created the problem!!!! And did so with lies!!! Please don't confuse the two!!!!

This war should have never happened. To cover up a ten year lie and wanting to continue to cover it up, is cause for war crimes filed on any fool wanted this Gaff war not to end. The GOP establishment

Jim Bletso ... with writing "obammy" you expose your ignorance!!! Sad there are folks like you!!!

Just goes to show you how clueless the GOP is. The American people are tired of this world policeman cr@p. It is time to pull out all the troops out of Europe too. $700 billion spent on this war. All borrowed mostly by Bush and the GOP. The Iraqis don't want us there anymore. Their parliament is dominated by Shia politicians and they want us out so their Shia brothers in Iran can move in. Plain and simple. Our treaty is expiring at the end of the year and they won't renew it. If we stay the fighting against us will renew because we then will be occupiers (staying without permission). When we leave the Sunni and Shia will have their civil war for power because that is what they want. Bush Sr. was smart enough to know don't get involved more than necessary. Junior wasn't. He broke it and he bought it.

The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy.
Woodrow Wilson

Let's see, 10 years and US spends a trillion dollars to remove one middle east dictator. In the meantime the Arab Spring (with a billion dollars from us in Libya) has removed 3 of them in less than one year.

None of these guys were a particular threat to us, least of all Saddam. Time to come home and let them take care of their own countries.

The GOP is against the majority of the American people amazing. amazing

Obama 2012 he keep his promise. End the LIE.

But Obama's fulfilling Dubya's promise to withdraw by EOY 2011. Why are the Repub's against that?!?!?!?! That's right = because it's a Democrat doing it.

How friggin' stupid can the Republicans get? They are bankrupt and so out of touch with working Americans that if they were to cease to exist as a political party no one would miss them.

So for people asking things like "Why do Republicans criticize starting two conflicts but want to keep the expensive Iraq war going" or things like "Why do Republicans want to complain about the deficit but criticize the President when he reduces the military expenditure by pulling out of Iraq", you have to remember a few things about Republicans and the Tea Party. They don't really want to compromise on anything. They want to be at odds with whatever the President says or does regardless of the result or their previous stances. They would criticize him for the way he takes a dump in the morning....

RanRan ... they are using a disguise "The Tea Party"!

If Romney ever had a chance at my vote, he just lost it. I have to wonder just how much of that crap he spewed he actually believes himself? He can't be that stupid and he loses any chance of my vote for his expecting that I would be.

What I wonder is how long does he expect us to stay there? Until Iraq applies for statehood?

Well Mitt, I guess if you're so concerned, you should ruck-up, armor-up and move out smartly.

Jim Bletso

I love all these demorats coming out of the woodwork supporting their god obammy, little do they know he has started more wars than any Republican pres to date and is in the process of starting 2 more including one in his homeland Africa

Good job Jim...our corporate masters will be pleased. We especially liked the "Demorats" and the slight subtle racial "Obammy". Well done indeed Sir. Now do we send a check or is the customary direct-deposit sufficient?

"When they show you who they are...believe them!"

Republicans criticize Obama...

MSNBC needed to include that as part of a headline? Really? Because I thought that was just a given. The Republicans are showing the American people more and more everyday how they can't get along with anyone else - they can't even get along with themselves, let alone anyone else in the country or the world. They hate everything they don't understand - and they seem to not understand a lot.

The agreement to have our soldiers out of Iraq by the end of 2011 was signed, sealed, and delivered by.....................................george bush. If our country wasn't at a crucial crossroads the rethugli-cons would be too funny. As it is every one of them running for the rethug nomination is a massive JOKE.

If Obama personally came up with the cure for cancer the Republicans would still find grounds for criticizing him.

Really like that question. You made my day. Thank-you.

Also not being bandied about is the decision from the Iraqui governing council, demanding the removal of the troops and stating that they would not insure the safety of remaining troops.

Irespond at #1.7: They do not have one decent person in the whole bunch worth a grain of salt!

Jon Huntsman is the exception; otherwise, I agree with you. Huntsman has said he wants troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan. If a miracle happened and Huntsman was the Republican nominee, I just might vote for him; at least that's my thinking at this point.

Yawn. Republicans have to do this because they have to disagree with President Obama on everything. That is the only thing they know how to do. They cannot accomplish anything themselves so they spend every day finding fault with Obama. Even when we are finally, after all these years, pulling out of Iraq.

Oh No! Now Haliburton and the others making money off the war will have to find somewhere else to take our hard earned money. Get a clue Republicans. Your time as a viable party has passed!

I propose we give these republican clowns some guns and send them to Iraq so they can fight whatever that's left...That should stop the whining....

A couple of underwares, a pair of sox and a couple of guns...that's all they need. And stick em right in the middle of Baghdad...

In the meanwhile, BRING OUR TROOPS HOME!!! It's been a while since my buddies had a few drinks and a table dance from ze Texas ladies....wink

Did anyone see the Marine who defended the protestors on Wall Street. He was remarkable.

I had tears in my eyes as he made his case to the NYPD. He said he fought in Iraq for the protesters right to protest. The NYPD actually listened to him.

He is my hero. If you can watch Lawrenece O'Donnell's program from last night, just listen to this young man. He made me feel so proud because he was correct. He and his family fought for our freedoms.

The GOP is completely delusional.

They are falling all over themselves trying to find a way to criticize what has been a steller foreign policy from this adminstration.

It is amusing as hell. LOL!!!

(And the blind sheep....do what they do best....and blindly follow along. Here's looking at you Spanker.)

EUREKA! I have figured it out. All we need to do is have Obama say "The Republican party and the Tea Party have my full backing and support." Then they will all implode and we won't have to worry with them anymore!

questions:

For arguments’ sake, let's say the GOP thinks this is just a political play by Mr. Obama and the timing of this was to get re-elected.

Hello? Didn't they know about the agreement Bush signed and the commitment date? The article says they were "caught off guard", didn’t they know year end and the deadline was just 2 months away? Were they hoping the Pres forgot about it, and they were they hoping to keep it secret so on January 1, they could
attack Obama for not adhering to the Bush plan? Are they now just enraged that he remembered, outsmarted them and foiled their devious plans, without giving them a chance to react? Has their hate diminished all clear thinking brain cells?

They should have known this was coming, had a clear message and response, instead of the ignorant gibberish they are spouting putting foot in mouth and nail in coffin.

Bet you the GOP buddies, The arms dealers sure are not happy and told them if they don't keep the troops there expect less donations ................. LOL LOL LOL Oops, better sell your munitions and arms stocks people that stock will decline very fast ...... :-)

We never should have been there in the first place. Let's not fool ourselves. All the sacrifices we made financially, and in American blood will never strategically secure Iraq as a staunch ally. With all the instability in the Middle East, this is a risky venture to commit so much of our resources there.

It's time to get out. The GOP doesn't represent America, We the People do.

And with that criticism, the Republicans have finally sealed their fate for 2012!

Give the Republicans a break. As soon as it's not popular anymore to be full of hate, they'll switch to the other side.

Leiya...to be at the gaming table, one must know how to play with a full deck. I wouldn't expect you to know anything about that.

So - since you agree with the fact that troop removal was signed by your "god in the White House" BushII, I can assume that you are completely disgusted by the Republican reaction today? You applaud President Obama for upholding an agreement signed by BushII?

If you want to be on our side, I suppose you need to do a little more homework...

Unfortunately, Paris, the gibberish that makes some of them look ignorant and the rest look like they've got Alzheimer's...That is the "teapublicans'" (major kudos to whomever coined THAT term!) stock in trade. The one thing I have issues with in your comment is that you're giving such people credit for having the intelligence to be devious. A lot of us who've seen them will say that ain't so.

I personally don't think of our current president as some sort of deity, like another person has accused folks of doing. I just think that it's a better thing to have him in the office than someone who is on par with Homer Simpson. Unfortunately, most of the Teapublicans seem to need a crabby British lady to proclaim them the weakest links.

I don't know what rock you have been under for the last three years but welcome back. President Obama promised in his campaign that he would get us out of Irac as soon as possible. He did that. I know it is hard for a Republican to understand someone doing what he says he is going to do but it got accomplished. The Republicans seem to forget that Bush Jr. started the Irac War with LIES to the Congress and American people. It was a Republican War and was shut down by President Obama.

Romney is now saying that we got out to early Well we got in much to early based upon False information provided by the Bush Jr. administration.

About the only thing the Republicans have not citicized so far is the color of the clothing worn by the Obama Children. The Republicans look like a bunch of fools.

Why did they put this under news? If the Republicans had given President Obama credit now THAT would be news.

Well damn if he does and damned if he don't. This flip flopping pube congress will never agree with Obama. I can't wait till election time. I'll not vote for one person that is in office right now. NEVER

They excel at that, Carl

People will say anything when the sacrefice didn't come from their family. I know people that have been over here over six times in 10 yrs and the losses are more than just money, it's time. Time that you can't make up or get back. Majic and once in a life time moments missed that will never come around again.

Of course Romney says stay, just trying to win an election along with other GOP candidates. If he is so concerned, why don't someone tell him, Cain, Bachmann, and all those other GOP yahoos to go get issued some weapons and gear, and stay away from their families a whole year plus and fight the war. Let's see who volunteers first

If the Iraqis are going to grow and gain the confidence of their people they are going to have to do it on their own. We can't babysit these guys the whole time. That will show that these guys are not capable to protect their own people. The people will have more confidence in US troops instead of them. I thought we were trying to get the Iraqi people their own freedom? Of course it will be ruff at first but that will not mean that all is lost. It will only mean that the Iraqi government has alot of work to do.

Any thing the President does , the republicans will spin a negative to it

man they are so lame

Okay folks, if there were any of you wanting to vote for Romney, please tell me you've changed your mind after this idiotic comments from Mitt Romney and Herman Cain. These people are truly amazing in their ignorance!

This not listening is why we may as well as pull out of Iraq (Oil), Afghanistan (Lithium for Electric Car Batteries, and Mineral Wealth), Libya (Oil), South America (Oil, Mineral Wealth), etc. and let the Chinese and Russian Federation have it all. Do not even start with your yammering about "Alternative Energy"; Saudi, Kuwaitis, Mexican or Canadian Oil, as this will prove that you are again listening to those that do not know (the real situations). Just learn to live without all that "High Tech" crap made of Oil Based Plastics powered by Oil Based Electric Power Generation transported to the Retail Stores by Oil Fueled Vehicles.

So your vision for the future of American is what? Endless wars fought by underprivileged American youth (former middle-class kids) now desperate for the scraps Wall Street, Big Pharma, Big Oil leaves behind? Really? At what point during our future "Road Warrior" scramble to fight for the last drop of oil (you can insert any natural resource you like), do we transition to Soylent Green? ...as the top 1% scrambles ever higher trying to capture that last of the oxygen.

Reading these comments continue to affirm that all Pure Republican Voters and all Pure Democrat Voters are lemmings without minds of their own. Whatever my party says is what I believe seems to be the general attitude.

"Don't bring them home"

- Republican Party (circa 2011) R.I.P.

Alright...who is collapsing Spanky Jr's posts...that @!$%# just ain't right...

On lighter note:

[Spanky, even as you admit you agree, you can't resist a few digs at the President.]

Go easy on the "counselor"...he's had a rough week, I mean with getting his ass handed to him time and time again and all....he's very confused lately...even his dog hates him.

...and that @!$%# just ain't right...

Let me see if I understand this. The GONTP says that welfare makes people dependent on help, so we should take it away, but since the Iraqis are dependent on our military welfare, we have keep them on it?

Do they actually have a real agenda? Any sort of real plan for anything? It sounds like they just make it up as they go along.

The Iraqis will have to stand up by themselves sooner, or later. Our GONTP friends tell us that we can't afford to add to the debt. Iraq adds to the debt. Therefore, sooner is the time for them to stand on their own. That seems to be a logical train of thought. Maybe that's why they won't follow it.

Do Teapublicans want spending cuts to offset the draw down?!

I can see it now...they'll claim they want to "preserve jobs" while Obama wants to "cut jobs". As for spending cuts...that's another example of Republican tunnel vision, circa 2011.

I love all these demorats coming out of the woodwork supporting their god obammy, little do they know he has started more wars than any Republican pres to date and is in the process of starting 2 more including one in his homeland Africa

It's comments like this that raise demands that Newsvine implement some sort of emoticons...in this instance one with two eyeballs spinning in opposite directions...

If Obama could wave a magic wand and solve all of the world's problems the Far Right would burn him at the stake for being a witch.

Republicans would criticize him if he didn't pull troops out after saying he would, too.

Republicans criticizing Obama isn't even news, and their opinions shouldn't even be reported anymore. Obama praises Republicans and they criticize him for it. Who cares what these clowns think?

What do the Republicans do now? Obama kept his promise and completed Bush Jr's plan is it political or the right thing to do anyway you put still not satisfied. Pres said its time to rebuild our country and he is right so what do they say now. Our troops did one helluva job and will always be proud and indebted to my fellow servicemembers of the Armed Forces.

I'd like to know what the 'field commanders' think about this, but of course they are not allowed to speak freely (Just ask General McChrystal).

The unemployment among veterans is 16% ,with the addition of more veterans the number will go up. However this is an opportunity for President Obama and Janet Neapolitano to show their interest to control the border. So, I suggest a new bill that will provide employment to the soldiers, protecting our American soil against other enemies. Illegal immigration the drug cartel. "Protect our border Act" . This bill benefit both political parties. To the Republicans that want morer border control and Democrats reducing the level of unemployment.

[I win the collapse battle...]

Yes, "counselor"..you're finally "winning" at something. Don't worry, jr...you're the Charlie Sheen of First Read.

Better rest up..weekends go fast after you get your ass handed to you as many times as you did this week. But it's OK...don't cry. I'm sure you'll come up with something....eventually.

Oh, and say hi to your little sock puppet, Mixed Bag for me.

rwalker-2504195

EUREKA! I have figured it out. All we need to do is have Obama say "The Republican party and the Tea Party have my full backing and support." Then they will all implode and we won't have to worry with them anymore!

rwalker: Thanks. Perfect.

What's a "sock puppet" Mickey?

Man, you are a foul little dude.

Keep up the good work.

Chuck sheen - hookers and blow. Fantastic reference, my man.

Their will never be a orderly transition in Iraq.
After almost nine year's, no more sacrifice of thousands of American men.
Withdrawing troops is the right thing to do
Iraqis will always lack capacities in their ability to maintain their internal stability and territorial integrity no matter what.

The future brings more covert operations against radical militants who wish to do damage to U.S. and our interests. These are the kind of operations we will be doing, not occupying country's like Iraq, Afghanistan with large amount of troops and billions of dollars a day. Covert, special forces, surgical air strikes will be the new norm overseas for our security. Increased security in U.S. is key also.

One thing only: "Mission Accomplished" Right! darn WMDs good thing we got them all.

There going to come over here and fight in our front yards. What are we to do? I'm so scared. Where is the Vice President Dick Cheney to keep us safe. How is that for a good republican/teabagger response. Are you scared now?

LOL look at all the Obots running to congratulate Obama for something that was agreed upon by Bush and Iraq before he left office. Shocking, Obama trying to take credit for something he had almost nothing to do with!

Ol_Doc - So your vision for the future of American is what?

Since I have wasted my life from 1980s till now, the result in a loss of Iraq by the US Politicians (All Parties). I can give a crap less about a possible vision what the future American is.

Think about this everytime there is a US Political Regime Change, the US Foreign Policy Changes. As most Politicians do not give a crap about anything beyond their terms (4 years or 8 years) and leave the US Military to "Deal with it" (get stuck in sh!tty situations). An example: Iran Iraq Wars, kill Fundamentalist Islamic Iran's Armed Allies, the Kurdistanis; 2002 live with the Kurdistanis to gain their trust, organize, train them to kill former US Ally Iraqis; train with the US Ally Turkey killing the Kurdistanis, prior to deployment to Afghanistan to conduct US Military Asymmetric Mountain Warfare.

As in 1.1 years most of us (my men, women, myself) will be "Too Old" to ever be involuntarily recalled to Active Duty again. It will be someone elses turn to do this sh!t as since only 1% of US Citizens are Serving in the US Military, and 92% of US Citizens NEVER Served; majority wins, so soon I will be part of the 92% that have no personal stake (their life or death) in these US Military Matters and do not have to give a sh!t.

ROY WILSON-336103 - I'd like to know what the 'field commanders' think about this,

What do you define as "Field Commanders"? Generals or Admirals sitting at Secure Green Zones or Pentagon in Airconditioned Offices (Lead from the rear)? Or US Military Commanding Officers that lead from the front as US Military Asymmetric Warfare Officers (Strategic and Tactical View) living with the locals (years of consecutive tours), unlike the US Military Conventional Warfare Force Officers (Tactical View, also lead from the rear (FOB, COB) rotated out after 15 months to 12 months)?

Spank do you say stupid crap to get collapsed on purpose so you can get someone to pay attention to you? I was just wondering.

I think most people just collapse your comments now because they are sick of what you have been saying.

WE ALL GET IT, YOU HATE OBAMA, YOU WOULDN'T PISS ON HIM IF HE WAS ON FIRE.

Personally I wish they wouldn't collapse your comments anymore so you wouldn't get any attention.

Man, so many people with tangents.

1. Do we want our troops home. Yes

2. What will happen after Obama has destabilized all the Middle East and now wants to pull out of Iraq?

3. Why are we only movin out of Iraq?

4. Why are we moving into Africa?

5. Why do we still have troops in Afganistan?

Anyone who thinks this is anything more than a vote/poll stunt in the mind of Obama is a fool.

Anyone think it is a cowinkidink this and Daffy's death occurs right when BoA moves 76 Trillion in market bets to the commerce side and they become backed by FDIC?

Nothing but a "Hey look over here" game.

The GOP is against the majority of the American people amazing. amazing

Nope, more like business as usual these days.

"But war's a game, which, were their subjects wise, Kings would not play at." William Cowper

That's the difference between Barack Obama and ALL the Republicans. President Obama KNOWS he isn't king, and is wise enough not to play. The Republicans virtually all think they're kings, and as for wisdom...

As long as our troops come home I'll be happy. We've had enough killed and injured. Stupid standpoint Romney and Cain.

Spanky -- the First Amendment refers only to the government not being able to repress speech. However, it says nothing about individuals. Someone who doesn't know something as basic as that probably should not be discussing politics.

Second, returning fire with more personal attacks doesn't make you any better. Actually, it just makes you look as idiotic as them.

Anyway -- back to the article. Point is, no matter what Obama does, all the Republicans have a prepared statement of opposition. Obama wants to:

Pull out of Iraq? Talk about how it's poor timing and poor international politics.

Not pull out of Iraq? Talk about how Obama breaks his promises and just wants to keep spending government money.

Create a jobs bill using bipartisan ideas discussed previously? All the bill is about harming business by taxing them. Oh wait.. there were tax breaks in it for businesses who hired workers, particularly workers who had been out of work for extended amounts of time? Shhh.. that's not really in there. Nobody look at the ideas.. just hate it based on it being Obama's proposition.

Doesn't create a job bill? Obama doesn't care about jobs and unemployment.

There's a Republican answer to everything, regardless of whether they believe it or not. They just have to oppose, oppose, oppose.

I bet if Obama randomly decided to propose laws against abortion, the Republicans would all suddenly become pro-choice.

there was a thing or two about this i didn't like.first the idiot didnt even ask them to pay for it . second the so called commander and chief . lol doesn't listen to his military personal ?

The only reason the Republicans attack Obama is because election season is nearing. Logically, Obama did not have a choice. The Iraqis are unwilling to grant immunity to US troops. Does anybody here believe, for even a second, that the Republicans want to leave US troops in hostile territory without immunity? US troops would not even have the ability to defend themselves.

Obviously this is purely a stunt to make the Republicans look stronger. Next story please.

David: Thank you for your service.

Roy,

Why do you care what the commanders in the field have to say? Did you care when Shinseki was sacked because he disagreed with only 150,000 troops for the invasion. Did GW care when his administration signed the "Status of Forces" agreement years ago? I want taxes raised on the corporations and individuals who directly profited equal to what the Republicans have spent prosecuting this war without end (Amen). Did you care when McCain said to cut taxes during wartime was irresponsible?

Home for the holidays for our troops, send the neo-cons on their own ticket to take their place if you still want war in Iraq. Why do these chicken hawks hate the troops and America?

If the republicans want to continue this war they should help pay for it. A true patriot will sacrifice with-out complaining.

Whereas a Republican "patriot" will demand big tax cuts for the rich and balance that expense on the backs of the middle class.

The criticism is unbelievable. It's not like Obama got elected and immediately pulled out troops. He's been in office three years!

They jump all over him because he is not compelling Iraq to allow 5000 troops to stay.

Iraq said no to the 5000 troop security force but the Republicans think it is the job of the
US to tell another nation what they must do.

"withdrawal would imperil progress made after almost nine years' worth of war in Iraq."

OK, Mittens, can you describe the progress made in Iraq!

...over a trillion dollars (deficit) spent, and OMG the tragic loss of life and limb!

Please do explain the progress!

Mark which is it Praise the Bush plan for getting us out the the Republicans for condeming Obama for getting us out. Which is it. Sounds like your Republican cult has two minds on this much like a multiple personality disorder. It hard to know which mouth you are speaking with, the one between you nose and chin or the one between your cheeks.

As a conservative republican, I do not agree with the Republicans complaining about the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, I welcome it. I was also very happy when the Nixon Administration pulled my butt out of Vietnam in 1973. Most Americans do not want to see war, especially those that have to fight them. The military has always done their duty and obeyed the orders of those appointed over them.

However, had the Iraqi government given in to the Obama Administrations request to grant immunity to American troops, we would not be pulling everyone out, as negotiated as the Bush Administration. All Obama is doing is following the agreement put in place by President Bush. So kudos to both Bush and Obama.

Remember, the Repubs talked smack about the Pres for the last few years because we were still in Iraq. Now they are complaining we are pulling out. So sad.

Mark . . . we've been giving bush credit for three years . . . and you and your ilk told us to stand up and take credit . . . then we do that and you scream, "it is bush's fault" . . . you can't have it both ways . . .

Mark L-464288

Dont you mean Cheney's plan? and 'no'. Cheney's plan would have been to stay indefinitely handing out hundreds of billion$ in no bid contracts and lining his pockets along the way. After all "deficits don't matter!!!"

Bush couldn't take a crap without an illustrated instruction manual, but interestingly he got you to vote for him...twice Im guessing.

Hi Sarge,

Yes, most everything that our President has done in Iraq is a result of him following the
agreement that was struck between President Bush (43) and Iraq.

Yes, good on both of them.

Id venture a guess that absolutely NO ONE is surprised the republicans are complaining, or really cares. Theyre like the neighbors dog that barks constantly...eventually you just tune them out.

Let the republicans say what they want. The President is doing exactly what should be done. It is not our country. We have been there long enough providing support and training to the Iraqi people. It's time they stand on their own and move forward.

Shame on the GOP!

They deny the president his full stimulus package in 2009 then spend 2010 lying about his stimulus was too weak. The block many of his appointments and filibuster the Senate to block any progress in job creation.

Now, he ends an expensive Republican war (three trillion or more so far) and they complain!

The GOP will have to face the American people in 2012. That's why they are going all out in most states to deny voting rights to non-Republican voters.

Obama should make an announcement that he believes that all Republicans should not quit politics. It seems like that should have the desired effect.

Amy B. Portland, ME

The criticism is unbelievable. It's not like Obama got elected and immediately pulled out troops. He's been in office three years!

And how long did George W. Bush have us in Iraq before he ended the war? ...Oh, that's right; he started the war but didn't end it. Now you comment makes sense...right?

"When they show you who they are...believe them!"

sfcret

As a conservative republican, I do not agree with the Republicans complaining about the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, I welcome it. I was also very happy when the Nixon Administration pulled my butt out of Vietnam in 1973. Most Americans do not want to see war, especially those that have to fight them. The military has always done their duty and obeyed the orders of those appointed over them.

However, had the Iraqi government given in to the Obama Administrations request to grant immunity to American troops, we would not be pulling everyone out, as negotiated as the Bush Administration. All Obama is doing is following the agreement put in place by President Bush. So kudos to both Bush and Obama.

Good on you SFC (Ret) from a fellow retired Sergeant First Class. I don't mean to pile on but you seem to be a man of reason; you need to take your party back from the T-Party or run like hell in another direction (not a retreat...establishing a new position). I'm afraid we're loosing rational conservatives and even as a self-styled progressive...I feel the loss.

As a former longtime navy man I'm glad to see us leave there, we didn't really solve anything, and anyone that thinks we did is a little delusional. they have been killing each other over there since the begining, and when we are gone they will continue. As a conservitve I'm also glad to see us leave there, we can stop spending all that money. The republican party amazes me, they call themselves conservitives and say we have to stop spending the money which I agree with 100%, and now they don't want to leave, and want to keep spending the money. sometimes I think that they just say and want the opposite of what the President wants, without stopping to think what they are saying. and yes Ol_Doc we need to take the party back from the t-party, we need to throw em out and let them run on their own ticket

Just more GOPTeaBag sour grapes and desperation. They are losing the battle for regaining the Senate and WH in 2012 by destroying America and its people in order to make the black man in the WH a one term president. They have destroyed their party, any credibility they once had, and are trying to blame Obama for it all. They feel that just because the people of America fall for their bait and switch crap in 2010 are still just as stupid now. That is because most of their base still are. But, they are beginning to see that the intelligent Americans are not buying their sh!t and becoming desperate to hold on to what they have.

But, their tactics are backfiring on them all cross the country, and the more they try to cripple and destroy the American people and hold them hostage to submitting to their demands, the more the people are throwing it back in their face. They are losing, big time, and they know it. The only way they can win is to suppress voter rights, intimidate voters, buy voters, buy judges and cheat in every way the can. But, in the long run....they will not win.

The sane, reasonable and true American patriots will take back America. And I truly believe, that the Republicans who are still true Americans and have not yet sold their souls to the Tea Party or Norquist and the Koch Brothers, Who are also suffering as much all other Americans from the BS mean spirited and deliberate subversion of our economy by the GOPTeaBags who have sold America to Wall Street, the Koch Brothers and the Corporate cartels will join with the the rest of the intelligent and true Americans and turn their backs on the people who care nothing about them other than their blind votes to continue to destroy their lives as well as the rest of America.

Anyone who thinks that things will suddenly be golden and get better if the GOPTeaBags win, are just living in a fantasy land, as it will only get worse. Once the GOPTeaBags gain total control, America will fall to financial ruin by the Wall Street mafia, our environment will be destroyed by the Corporate cartels, and what was once the land of the free and opportunity will become a serfdom for the 1%. The only thing standing between their doing that now is the people of America who are fighting back, and the laws of the land that judges in our courts who have not been bought off will still uphold.

The derense industry corporations a pi$$ed about ending the wars because the stand to lose billions of dollars they are ripping the taxpayers off of every year. The Republicans don't wnat to see the war end until they take back the WH so they can get credit for ending it. After all, they are the ones who started both of them and have been making billions of doallars off of them all these years. So, why would they want to see the wars end. One way to get rid of a bunch of gay people in uniform, and there is always plenty of people to send into battle like disposable droids.

To me, Americans are not disposable or expendable commodity. But, the Repubvlicans have no problem sending millions of them inot harms way to halep their corp buds make money.

Feisty - it has nothing to do with Republican blood lust - let me explain - Last week I went to a local Tea Party function - an impeachment petition effort - and I heard these two ladies arguing - one said Obama was too tall - her friend, a decent looking woman for her age (which happens to be my age, too) said he was too short. The first woman's husband - who up to that point had been quiet offered, "He's too tall AND he's too short." This seemed to satisfy everyone.

blah, blah, blah,

"Bush started the War at Iraq" blah, blah, blah......

Iraq: US Law, 1998 H.R. 4655 "Overthrow of President Hussein" with Congressional Appropriations. After the measures of H.R.4655 failed to overthrow President Hussein US Congress used the final option to Overthrow President Hussein, the US Military, with a Declaration of War with Iraq, the 2002 Iraqi War Resolution with US Congressional Appropriations.

(note: it is US Congress's Job to create US Law, and find the money to appropriate for those US Laws that they created, it is the US President's Job to implement and enforce those US Laws of US Congress.).

We needed to get out of Iraq. The Republicans need to stop attacking each other so they attack Obama.

What we really need to do is come together as a nation and stop all of this "Pay to Play" Corruption that is ruining our country. What many of us are doing instead, is letting all of this political crap turn us against each other to keep us occupied while they steal us blind.

mitt romney has many sons, is he willing to send them to a war somewhere where ist serves america`s interest first. me thinks not. he said and i quote, my son`s are here to serve me. what a coward i`m a navy veteran from a large family and 6 of my 8 brotheres served in various branches of the military.

Obama can walk on water, I would say it's more like floating.. .Gumbee 2011 or my dog!

typical GOP response, fight the wars but don't fund them or fight in them.....get the hell out of every country we have military folks in and spend the money at home in the USA and save lives while were at it!! Obama is still cleaning up after GW Bush and eight years of his rule. Put another check mark next to Obama for closing out the war in Iraq and i'll bet the troops are happy about this too. GOP = CHICKEN HAWKS

Are these Republicans living in reality or strung out on crack?

As an Army brat, an Army widow, an Army (veteran, deceased) mother, an Army grandson on active duty and now volunteering at a vet center, I want to say THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR SERVICE. And especially those who saw combat.

I think is time that the american people vote to eliminate the rich friendly Republican Party! They have no intention of helping the poor or the middle class.

Wah Wah Wah. We finally have a President who is cleaning up the messes of past Republican administrations and policies and all I see anyone donis throw barbs and verbal rotten tomatoes. Think about this...your other options right now are Mitt the Mormon, Michelle the Moron, and Rick the Righteous.

You'd love that, wouldn't you Joe C.? Makes it easier to push your stupidity on the people if no one is there to stop you.

Bush's defense contractor buddies have to be hating this news. Their return on investment was good thought, so can't complain.

garcher1253370 You must be smokin that Repub Tea Party Smack. Nothing in the last Bush era has been right aside succeeding in causing the loss of life, losing our jobs, bankrupting this country and lining the top republicans pockets with cash. Haha your probably not even one of them, but you defend them like a brainwashed cult member.

A@$ hole Obama went to Libia & Pakistan for one reason & that was to get Bin Laden and secure the correct area of conflict. Obama turned his attention away from Iraq because your party didn't want to listen and wanted to protect that pipe line that Bush & Chaney laid down. Oh I'm sorry the reason was to to get Sadam & his Weapons of Mass Destruction from the 911 attacks when Bin Laden admitted & took responsibility (Another Story did & was he responsible). HAHA poor Sadam (It wasn't me I have no weapons of mass destruction remember that).

Democrats have their issues but nothing like Republicans Not even close Y'all are like HIV you get into every cell and just F^&K S*&t up & were left trying to remedie ourselves back to a sustainable health cause Lord knows right now there is no cure.

No Gharms, Is by people like you that are brain wash by the republican party. That with your vote you help keep this group of rich loving politicians stomping on the working class and the poor.

Republicans criticize Obama for doing something the overwhelming majority of Americans want. Yawn, that's so the last 3 years ago.

Next the GOP/TP will have to figure a way to get their foot and shoe out of their collective mouths. I just cannot grasp the ignorance and arrogance of these Republican Clowns! They would rather destroy the United States of America than to see THEIR president succeed at ANYTHING!

scrambolo,

How did the President succeed? For the millionth time, the ONLY reason they are coming home at all is because this Administration and his Sec of State and her staff FAILED to negotiate the SOFA. Thats it. There is your reason. Had our President and Sec of State not FAILED, our Service Members WOULD STILL BE THERE AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

I spent over two years of my life there. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out what will happen next. But you have the nerve to say 'Republican clowns'. I suggest taking a look in the mirror and at the Democratic party for a change.

Next will come the arguments: What about Bin Laden? How about Al Awlaki? Until the President sits in on, and commands the operation from the ground, regardless of party, he does not get the credit. That credit goes to the Military Members who actually serve....

Govt_Issue: Are you aware that President Obama is Commander in Chief of Our Military Forces? Personally I'm glad he has the sense to bring our troops home. I wish we could pull out of Afghanistan too. As the wife of a retired Army Captain who lost a Leg fighting in Vietnam I've been Privy to many conversations about what would happen if we went to war with the middle east. None of the conversations were positive. Most concluded it would be the war to end all wars and could never be ended peacefully. All I ask for is to give President Obama a chance. Bush had his advisers - all rich oil men. This war is about oil. The conversations I heard started in 1968. I'm sure this war was set in motion long before that. I'm glad you are home safe.

Great post, FFR. This war was actually set in motion in 1953, when the democratically-elected government of Mohammad Mossadegh was overthrown and the Shah of Iran was installed as puppet ruler of Iran. That was done to protect the ability of British and American oil companies to operate within Iran without fear of nationalization.

Once the Iranian people threw off the yoke of their oppression it somehow became a shock that they hated America as much as they hated their dictator. We did, after all, supply the money and arms necessary to keep them in line all that time.

Once it became apparent that Iran was going to be an intensely anti-western society in the long term our government went looking for a counterbalance. We sound it in another strong man who said he would be our friend for a price.

Once Saddam Hussein became strong enough to dare step out of his box it became necessary to put him back in Gulf War I. Now we had a second, even more ambitious and militarily powerful enemy in the region.

So this has been going on for a very long time, and it's mostly been our own doing. The lesson we need to learn is to stop trying to make friends by giving guns to tyrants.

Hence the reason we stand behind Israel. We have a justifiable reason to be militarily involved in the Middle East since we are good friends and protectors of Israel. The President almost let it out of the bag a month or two ago when he set about declaring that land claims in the Middle East be subject to the 1968 agreement that the State of Israel made. Did anyone not give this some thought when it came out and then the Repugs started temper tantrums? Did anyone not ever wonder why we were the protectors of Israel all the while they were spying on our government?

You should study a little harder. "1967 borders with agreed upon swaps" as stated by President Obama wasn't just the policy of the GW Bush Administration, it's been the basis of US Middle East policy for at least 20 years...in Democratic AND Republican administrations. http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/20/netanyahu-right-wing-intentionally-mischaracterizing-obamas-1967-border-comment/

Oh look, the Right is caught in yet another lie about Barack Obama, a President they hate with impotent rage.

John B I was off a year from recall but the point I was making was the situation with Israel to get the US out of that rat hole. It is all about oil in the Middle East. It is a ploy to maintain military ties to the Middle East and therefore maintain US presence there to influence leadership and oil trading with the oil countries. Maybe you should have read the post a little closer instead of being on the offensive. No GOP'er here. Never was and never have been. Being a rank and file talking head has never appealed to me.

Please accept my apologies, Intellect. I took the focus of your post to be an attack on the "1967 borders with agreed upon swaps" comment as opposed to the blind support of Israel which is demanded by Conservatives.

As long as we're having this conversation it's worth mentioning that the newly radicalized position of Conservatives doesn't so much favor Israel as it insists on a position that makes peace impossible. Let's face it, nothing would ensure Israel's security more than some solution that would allow a truce between the various parties.

What we're really seeing is an Evangelical Fundamentalist position that Armageddon is inevitable and coming soon, so we need to do whatever we need to be fighting on Israel's side for biblically significant reasons.

Even if we were the Fundamentalist Christian theocracy of Conservative mythology this wouldn't be a rational foreign policy. After all, people have been predicting the Second Coming ever since the death of Christ. It hasn't happened yet, and even as a believer it's clear to me the end of the world is God's decision, and I shouldn't work too hard to hasten it.

Just want to say that it's refreshing to read an intelligent discourse between two people, John B and Intellect. It is rare to see.

Bush shoud have thought of that, when Sadam had control over his country, and didn't take any crap from Iran in any way, shape, or form.

They plan to take money from medicare and social security to pay for it because they sure won't ask any millionaires to sacrifice. They charged both wars and punish the 99% by cutting jobs, education, etc. Real stand up crowd, the GOP.

MRWSR, maybe Bush/Cheney should have thought of that because Drive-by is correct. Iraq with Saddam was a sworn enemy of Iran and there was no Al Qaeda in Iraq until Bush broke it.

"MRWSR. Going to cost us alot more when we go back to fight agian after Iran takes over."

News flash. Iran is Shia (or Shiite) populated and governed. and now because of Bush/conservative Policy, Iraq is NOW governed by Shia Muslims.

So they'll get along just fine.

for reference..

OK who cares what Iran does. Its not like they are going to hop in their car and drive over here. No I don't like their crazy leader but the people of Iran would love to have normal relations with the US. It is no wonder that after thirty or forty years of covert and not so covert actions in their country they are a little pissed.

It is no wonder that after thirty or forty years of covert and not so covert actions in their country they are a little pissed.

Oh, it's been longer than that...the CIA-aided coup that ousted Mossadegh (the duly-elected prime minister) and put the Shah in power as an absolute monarch (see also: DICTATOR) was in 1953.

Will the republicans now conduct a "breath holding team tantrum"? More BS sold to the lesser minded as "meat for the stupid stew". Republicans! Can't even tell a "half assed" persuasive lie.

When the Iranians move to take over Iraq, the Iraqi's (especially Sunni's and Kurds) will be keeping them plenty busy so I am really not worried about what Iran will do. Sunni Muslim nations with plenty of money (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait etc) will be providing plenty of money and resource to the future Iraqi rebels to keep the Iranians and Shiite Iraqis tied up and going bankrupt for decades.

Whoever sends us back over there will have some very, very angry citizens to contend with.

I fail to see what Iran has to do with this topic. We worked with the government of Iraq to assist them to rebuild and take the reigns of their own security, we've helped them to become self-sufficient and better trained than they have ever been.
Saddam was NO threat to the US, he was not a sponsor of terrorism OUTSIDE Iraq, since the UN and the US had frozen nearly all of his assets over the WMD inspections. He was a blow-hard, nothing more.
The Ayatollahs on the other hand are a threat to ALL Arabs and would like to see nothing better than the total anihilation of anything NOT Shia or Persian. They are still pissed at us for backing the Shah, but that was thirty years ago, not that the CIA hasn't fueled the fire over the years. Iran, unlike Iraq, are sponsors of terrorism. We know, because they got caught last week trying to blow up a Saudi Arabian dignitary RIGHT HERE in New York.
The conservatives continue to look like fools, every time one of them opens his mouth, he sticks his foot in it. First they criticize Obama for doing EXACTLY what Bush would have done, if the Dems were in charge when he invaded Iraq, but since the Republicans were in charge, he still needed to lie to the US and Coalition about the WMDs to get them behind his big plan.
I used to be a Republican, but I'm getting whiplash trying to follow what they REALLY stand for...This is stupid.

MRWSR.

Bush, really!

We will be back over there, you have to see that coming. Blame who you want.

Why...why would we go back? Do you think we can force them into becoming a Jeffersonian Democracy? Are we in immanent danger of them nuking us? Are we not still capable of turning them into a sheet of glass from 4,000 miles away? Why on earth would we want to waste billions more and lose thousand more American Service Members on that miserable chunk of real estate? If you want to go...go. I'm willing to chip in 2 cents toward your plane fare.

The aftermath will not be pretty.

A grim outlook for some Iraqis

"Sadly, the security situation as the United States prepares to fully withdraw the military is exactly the same as it was a year ago when those bombs demolished Noof’s home. The numbers of attacks per day across the country has not changed in more than a year. Also in the last year, the government has accomplished, by most counts, nothing. More than 19 months after elections, it hasn’t even fully formed.

People who a year ago told me they were optimistic about the future of Iraq are now stunningly grim. Iraqis who are eligible for refugee status to America are still scrambling to get their applications through before the program closes. Many who vowed never to leave their homeland are exploring their options."

"There are very real concerns that Iran is only further extending its tentacles into its neighbor. There are alarming signs that the sectarian fissures are beginning to emerge once again."

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/21/a-grim-outlook-for-some-iraqis/?hpt=hp_t1

Why not let all the Republican politicians to object to the withdrawal start training this very moment for live combat duty in Iraq to cover the troops who are finally coming home from a war they started under pretences that never held up. PS perhaps Dick and Bush II might like to join the forces along with selective relatives of those who cry so loudly now. Let them experience first hand the hell on earth of war. War that they profited from and banked the money.

My guilty pleasure is not chock - Oh Lot!

It's not sailing my yacht

No, it's not

It's watching Republicans squirm

as they get ready for a second term.

Da Hemroid - I wonder if the GOP knows it costs money to keep troops in Iraq.

The majority of the Money goes to US Civilians of the faceless Defense Military Industrial Complex. The Defense Military Industrial Complex is the only thing keeping most of the US Manufacturing, US Raw Materials Processing and Recycling, US Farming and US Food Processing (Those Meals Rejected by Everyone (MREs), etc.), Research and Development (crossover technologies to US Civilian Uses), etc.. By US Code (US Law), US Military Must Buy Only US Products, Goods, and Services (this is why the expensive hammers, and expensive toilet seats), I do not see a US Law requiring you to buy only US Products, Goods, and Services from Walmart. We are only talking about a hundred million US Civilian Jobs, so to chop the US Defense Budget would be very simple, get rid of the hundred million US Civilians of the US Defense Military Industrial Complex, throw them on Unemployment, then replace them with cheaper US Military Personnel like it was before previous Reductions In Forces (RIFs) of the US Military.

The previous Reductions In Forces (RIFs) of the US Military eliminated these jobs from the US Military, and created the Niches for the expensive US Civilians. The Largest RIF occurred during President Clinton's Cut to the Bone RIF of the US Military and the Gutting of the US Intelligence Agencies (Congressional 9/11 Committee).

The "Fair and Living Wage" jobs provided to US Civilians of the US Military, that were previously US Military Jobs before the President Clinton Cut to the Bone Reduction In Forces (RIF) of the US Military: Sea, Air, Land Transportation; Weapons, Vehicle, Aircraft, Ship, Facilities Maintenance; Sanitation (waste disposal, shower and bathing facilities, water purification, etc.); Food Service (all levels); Electronics; Communications (including Internet, Satellite, etc.); Logistics (all levels); Supply (all levels); Nationwide Government Owned Government Operated (GOGO) Plants/Factories to manufacturer US Military Equipment (not capable of being made by US Civilian Industry); VIP Protection; US Military Installation Security; at Combat Zones (Areas) PXs, BXs, NEXs, Commissaries, Post Offices, etc.; some Medical Facilities; etc.. So sure throw all of these US Civilians out of the US Military to Unemployment and replace all of them with cheap US Military Personnel to cut the US Defense Budget by 50%.

These RIFs resulted in many of the former US Military that were RIFed forming US Contractors, these US Contractors then had many employees with Combat Experience, with most of the other US Civilian Contractors not having any Combat Experience as one of the minimum requirements of the Contracts, this made the US Civilian Contractors that were made up of US Military RIFed Personnel "Sole Source", "No Bid", "Only Game in Town" US Contractors that the majority of US Civilian Only (no US Military Veterans), 3,000 US Contractors could not do. This was the sour grapes complaints to US Congress by the US Contractors (no US Military Veterans) against Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater (Xe). It was US Congress (Committees) that set the Contracting Rules for the US Military, so US Congress basically ignored the sour grapes complaints of the US Civilian Only (no US Military Veterans) Contractors and recommended that they start to hire only US Military Veterans to meet the minimum Contract Requirements (To provide Combat Support To US Military In a Combat Zone, a no failure, no excuse situation).

The second place where all the Money is going is to the US Department of State Projects/Programs that are not accessable by the US Military nor Local Government. Examples: the Billions of Aid Money spent at Iraq, Afghanistan as UN Mission Nation Building; and as I previously estimated (posted on Newsvine March 2011) President Obama's Nation Building of Libya (verified by President Obama, October 20, 2011). The Billion USD US Embassy Compound at Iraq, the recently completed Billion USDs US Embassy Compound at Pakistan (This does not include the yearly payroll for Embassy Staff, Security Guards, Utilities, Logistics, Supply, BurgerKing, Starbucks Coffee, Foreign Security Contractors (non US), etc. for these Disneyland Resorts and Spas of the US Diplomatic Corps (US Department of State)). They are starting to build one here (Afghanistan) projected cost a couple Billion USDs (some of the Afghans are pissed that their Government seized their land and gave their land to the US).

The last place that Money is spent is on the US Military and US Military Benefits. How about Unionizing us (US Military) so that we can, "Make a Fair and Living Wage". Or implement Candidate Obama's Campaign Promise of Mandatory Compulsory US Military Service as stated by Candidate Obama, "US Citizenship is not an entitlement", "US Military Service is a Civic Duty".

As far as the known effects of Reductions In Forces (RIFs) of the US Military, many of us have survived the many RIFs, and also seen the effects on the US Civilians, like the closure of 14 US Military Installations, that resulted in the near Great Depression Era Economies of the nearby US Cities, US Towns, and the flight of the former US Civilian Employees, US Contractors, etc. at the closed 14 US Military Installations to other States, resulting in more Local, City, State Unemployment and collasped Local, City, State Economies.

We also saw the effects of President Obama's April 2009 Defense Budget Cuts of the USAF (F-22, 95,000 US Civilian Jobs Lost) and one USN Aircraft Carrier Group (including one USN Air Wing, USN Screening Ships and Escort Submarines, hundreds of thousands of US Civilian Jobs Lost, that provide support, maintenance, dock workers, machinists, welders, supplies, logistics, etc. to that one USN Aircraft Carrier Group.).

During Secretary of Defense Gate's Last visit here (Afghanistan) he briefed us about President Obama's upcoming Reduction In Forces (RIF) of 27,000 US Military Personnel (to be thrown on Unemployment). The question was asked and answered as to the fate of the xxx,xxx US Civilians that provide support to the soon to be RIF'ed 27,000 US Military Personnel, as they too will be no longer required and will become Unemployed. Do not even start with the using Federal Active US Military Personnel to secure the US Borders, until you review the US Laws and President Obama's April 2009 and August 2009 Policies pertaining to not using the US Military to secure US Borders.

Military Man-1740371 - he still needed to lie to the US and Coalition about the WMDs to get them behind his big plan.

Who said this:

Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemicaland biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world", and when I say to him, "You have used weapons of mass destruction before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again.

Nice failed attempt at the blame game. Read US Law, H.R.4655 Section 2 "Findings".

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1057063/posts

If you attempted that with my Command they would be laughing their arses off at you. As we were involved with the US Military Operations under US Law H.R.4655, to hire train and equip the hundreds of thousands of Shiites at Iraq as assassins and insurgents to Overthrow President Hussein, we were also on the ground doing Target Damage Assessments (not allowed to do targeting) during Operation Desert Fox. Operation Desert Fox is the prelude to the US War at Iraq. After the US Law H.R.4655 failed to Overthrow President Hussein US Congress Declared War with Iraq with US Law, 2002 Iraqi War Resolution.

More information from a participant:

During the Iran Iraq Wars, the US Ally Iraq used Chemical Weapons against the Kurdistanis, and the Iranians to end the almost decade long Iran Iraq Wars. This ended the Iran Iraq Wars, just like the US use of Nuclear Weapons ended World War II, with Japan. During the Iran Iraq Wars about a half million Iraqis and a half million to a million Iranians died. The Iraqis use of Chemical Weapons to end the Iran Iraq Wars possibly saved millions of lives, just like the US use of Nuclear Weapons made unnecessary the Invasion of Japan, Operation Downfall, estimated US over 1.5 Million, Japanese 10 Million deaths. While with the US Military Training Teams to US Ally Iraq we usually accompanied those we trained into Combat to make observations to make changes to future training, and to make on the spot corrections to training, making us Combatants. During these times it was not unusual for the Iranians to form Human Wave Attacks to charge the Iraqis Machineguns supported by Iraqis Artillery, with thousands of Iranians dying with each charge. This was due to the Fundamentalist Islamic Iranian Government purging of the Iranian Military of their trained "Modern Warfare" Iranian Military Officers (100,000) as possibly being Pro Shah of Iran.

The left over Chemical Weapons from unconfirmed origins of the Iran Iraq Wars. Were stored at an Iraqis Ammunition Storage Facility northwest of Basra. We showed them how to store these.

At the end of the First Gulf War. The US Army Corps of Engineers, Combat Engineers, of General Swartzkoff destroyed the Iraqis Ammunition Storage Facility without a Site Survey (it is Standard Operating Procedure to do a Site Survey). The question remains, why General Swartzkoff ordered the destruction of the Iraqis Ammunition Storage Facility and ordered his Combat Engineers not to do a Site Survey. The destruction of these Iraqis Ammunition Storage Magazines ("Bunkers") was that the ammunition storage magazines functioned as built to vent the majority of the explosive force upwards to prevent sympathetic detonations at the neighboring ammunition storage magazines. This vented the stored Chemical Weapons contents thousands of feet straight up into the air. These Chemical Agents were carried downwind, and hit the 1st and 2nd US Army Cavalry. One of my friends of the 2nd US Cavalry was hit by Nerve Agent and a Blister Agent, he was given an atropine injection for the Nerve Agent, and underwent numerous painful skin peals to finally stop the Blister Agent Effects. There is still a Veteran's Affairs Map on the Veteran's Affairs Internet Site for those US Military Personnel filing claims that were downwind and were exposed to Chemical Weapons.

Good, let Iran take Iraq over - that will keep them busy and wasting money.

Hey Da Noid: great point about Mossadegh. You must have read some history of the region.

Ike later said that the worst decision he ever made was taking out Mossadegh and putting in the Shah.

Truman refused to do it but Ike was convinced to carry it out. (Wasn't Gen Storman Norman's dad involved in it?) Read "All the Shah's Men" Good book.

One of this country's worst foreign policy blunders EVER was the invasion of Iraq. Totally unnecessary. And to the folks who reply that Congress approved it: BULL. Bush/Cheney lied, twisted, and distorted any intel and strongarmed Congress into approving it.

I said years ago, when all is said and done, there will be three countrys in the region: Kurdistan in the north, Iraq in the middle, and something else in the south. By the way, 100 years ago there was no Iraq. Iraq was drawn up by a plan from the Brits.

Why do the Republicans have to disagree with everything the President says? They will disagree with him even at the cost of sounding stupid! The Republicans see the President's style of governing as "weakness", rather I see his style of governing as one of strength, having, integrity, very high self-esteem, very self assured, and one who loves to negotiate peace. Isn't it a messed up world when people are called "weak" if they are nice or kind or if they don't assert power when they have the authority to do so , but uses better judgement? Enough of your gridlock in Washington! it looks downright STUPID!

david-475776 says "The left over Chemical Weapons from unconfirmed origins of the Iran Iraq Wars. Were stored at an Iraqis Ammunition Storage Facility northwest of Basra. We showed them how to store these."

For those of us that have a memory, The Iran-Contra job pulled off by Dickey Cheney and Donnie Rumsfield sent Arms and Chemical Weapons to Iraq! The chemical weapons the Bush boys kept telling us they knew Sadam had came from the good old U.S. of A.

On it's face, this sounds like a political move. "Home for the Holiday's"? C'mon, exiting with less than 3 months notice seems a bit suspicious, especially when Republicans were not in the loop - blatant hyper-partisan from the Divider-In-Chief.

Certainly we want our troops home. And Iraq should be made to pay for our support. Unlikely, but it should be insisted upon.

That said, I am very happy for our troops, and I hope that I am wrong about Obama. I honestly hope that he is doing this for the right reasons, in spite of how much I want him gone in 2013.

You know what President Obama should do now to all you naysayers?? pull down his pants and tell all of you to suck out his ass, Damn if he does Damn if he doesn't WTF !!!

As Commander-in-Chief, Oama is not about to keep even a small force in a country that will not give immunity to the soldiers if citizens are accidentally harmed. Just what the US needs, headlines reading "US Soldier to be tried for Murder tied to Accidental Shooting". Just what soldiers need - to be stationed in an area that considers their actions as potential crimes.

To the President's credit, the agreement with the American Logistics Association agreement bringing together 270 private companies in a pledge to hire 25,000 veterans and their spouses by the end of 2013. Their commitment, fulfilling 25% of his call for private-sector companies to hire or train 100,000 veterans and military spouses in the next two years is 100,000 veteran and spouse jobs more than anything the GOP is willing to discuss.

The war is over. Obama is ending it. The funds that went to war will no longer be contributing to the deficit and debt.

Going to cost us alot more when we go back to fight agian after Iran takes over.

Here's a thought, how about if Iran invades Iraq, we simply ignore it? Let them take it over, who cares?? Iraq is not filled with tax paying American citizens so we shouldn't be spending our hard earned tax dollars or the lives of our children to defend and provide a better life for Iraqi's.

zip .. you got that right

It just burns them Rethugs/Tbiggots up that Obama is bringing the troops home. WHY? won't it cut some spending. stuff they been screaming about. Another thing it's no secret that most Americans want out of Iraq. Bring the troops home already the sooner the better.

Is there one oz. of strategic thinking in the entire Democratic Party? Would it be better to go slowly at this? Would it be in our interests to RETAIN A TOKEN FORCE OF 5,000 TROOPS?

P.S. Want to know why Democrats are not trusted on matters of national security? Behold, Exhibit A.

let's put this all into historical perspective, or at least into current events of the past 4 years.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/13/AR2008101302846_pf.html

kudos to both former president bush and current president obama for adhering to the quidelines for troop withdrawel from iraq by the end of 2011.

Kudos to bush for signing the original agreement with iraqi prime minister maliki in late 2008.

As stated below, article 24 of the iraqi and US agreement signed by president bush is as follows...

Recognizing the performance and increasing capacity of the Iraqi Security Forces, the assumption of full security responsibility by those Forces, and based upon the strong relationship between the Parties, an agreement on the following has been reached:

1. All the United States Forces shall withdraw from all Iraqi territory no later than December 31, 2011.

2. All United States combat forces shall withdraw from Iraqi cities, villages, and localities no later than the time at which Iraqi Security Forces assume full responsibility for security in an Iraqi province, provided that such withdrawal is completed no later than June 30, 2009.

3. United States combat forces withdrawn pursuant to paragraph 2 above shall be stationed in the agreed facilities and areas outside cities, villages, and localities to be designated by the JMOCC before the date established in paragraph 2 above.

4. The United States recognizes the sovereign right of the Government of Iraq to request the departure of the United States Forces from Iraq at any time. The Government of Iraq recognizes the sovereign right of the United States to withdraw the United States Forces from Iraq at any time.

5. The Parties agree to establish mechanisms and arrangements to reduce the number of the United States Forces during the periods of time that have been determined, and they shall agree on the locations where the United States Forces will be present.

Obama can rightfully claim responsibility for adhering to what the bush administration signed its SOFA agreement to, but obama also needs to acknowledge the bush administration for establishing the agreement and timeline with the iraqi government.

Status of forces agreemnet between iraq and the US. can be found here...

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/world/20081119_SOFA_FINAL_AGREED_TEXT.pdf

It would appear that boehner understands the US agreements signed by bush, while romney and perhaps other presidential hopefuls do not. Regardless, opinions will be expressed.

Again congrats to both bush for establishing the agreement and for obama in adhering to it.

What does success look like? Thousands of Americans dead, many thousands more wounded physically and emotionally. Perhaps 100,000 Iraqis dead, many thousands more wounded. No nuclear weapons, no chemical weapons, and now a corrupt government in place.

Yep, a shining light upon a hill! Mission accomplished!

"Comment collapsed by the community", whoever is in charge of these sites needs to have a real person deleting a comment instead of posters collapsing comments. Some people are abusing the 'Report this Item" just to drown out people with different views than they have.

Who could blame them when other people are doing the same thing to them? I am sure that there is a predetermined number of hits built into the program that triggers the "Comment collapsed by the community" tag.

A simple up or down button would work better and then if someone actually violates the "Code of Honor" a moderator should delete the comment. If something isn't changed everyone is going to get collapsed and there will be no reason to debate with anyone, have an opinion or post anything since it will be collapsed anyway.

Margaret Marty::: Yes, the republithugs would disagree with President Obama if he told them that farts aren't lumpy.

The sooner we get all our boys and gals home the better it will be-- my grandson would be home again, hopefully to stay. Now if the republithugs will pass the jobs bill he will be able to find a job.

I work at a vet center, and there are many vets who would like a job-- and vets spouses too.

I hope things are better on the jobs business when he comes home.

Paul F::: The republithugs were not in the loop? Did they give their blessing when their little tin god on wheels, Shrub, announced to the country that our boys would be home by the end of the year?

And wasn't it the same tin god who went over there and kissed ass? Oh well, he was known as an asskisser.

BTW, he has a ranch-- does he have illegals working there. He sure as h**l doesn't do work there. Bet I worked on our ranch more than he does on his-- and I can bet my daughter-in-law does more on her ranch than he does on his. Let's see him deliver an animal.

Paul F.....Not really. We were already in a drawdown announced long ago, and on a schedule that was first announced by GWB. This was really a decision not to prolong the drawdown that was already in progress, and not to leave as many troops behind when we did leave. Plans for a complete drawdown have been in place for a long time, these negotiations were about delaying that drawdown.
Iraq decided to show their soverignty and demanded we do it their way or leave. Obama did not wait for them to say that a second time, he said OK, you want us out, we are out ! They played right into his hand.
And Br'er Rabbit cried " Pulease,pulease don't trow me in dat briar patch". Iraq PM thought he was being tough by threatening the throw the US into the " briar patch", instead it is our "laffin place", we are Outta There, home for the holidays, and "laffin" all the way !

War is a thankless game. There are no winners. It's time to come home.

Lets send all the GOP T-Nut party people that object to the withdrawal of Iraq over there, lets see how long it would take them to change their minds. ??????????????

Diane from CA:

Do you have one of those big, decorative rocks out in front of your house? If so, go talk to that.

You will get just as far, and the rock would likely comprehend what you are saying more than the right does these days.

Diane - "Obama should be more flexible to the requests of commanders on the ground"

How many times can you ignore(or fail to comprehend) this fact?

You criticize Bush and call him an idiot and blame him for everything... but now you think he accurately predicted 3 years in advance exactly when Iraq would be able to govern itself?

Everyone wants to leave but doing so when our vacancy will only result in Al Qaeda's resurgence is short-sighted to say the least.

Diane: "Flexible" is not a word that Republicans understand.

So roger what money did the unions steal......

if you are in a union that would be your money they have, and that would be their swimming pool that you paid for at their mansion. Do you really think the unions are in it for you? That was in the early 1900's, not now.

pjam09;

George W. Bush did not predict the U.S, withdrawal from Iraq. He made an agreement with the Iraq government to pull out our troops in 2011. Obama promised early in his presidency to make that happen and he has.

Can you explain what problem you have with that?

Exactly which commanders are against the pull out? And why do you and the Republicans seem to take this on assumption? This ain't some fly by night operation like Vietnam, we've been preparing to leave for almost 2 years now.

Uncovered: The Whole Truth about the Iraq war

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7371253996117324045

Watch out takes from this excellent documentary. They interview the intel pros whose reports were butchered by Cheney and the Bush administration to lie to congress and get war powers. They systematically deconstruct the lies.

We should have never been in Iraq!!! No weapons of mass destruction, no working relationship between Saddam and Al Qaeda. Saddam was a local thug, one among many, and it should not be America's role to be the world's police force starting quagmires on the other side of the planet for anything other than compelling national security interests.

When Bush declared "mission accomplished", what mission was he referring to? When Bush had to face the nation and say oops, my buddy Chaney and I made a mistake. There are no WMD's. I think, at that point all American troops should have been brought home.

@pjam09 You friggin imbecile! You think that the U.S. has been fighting against an Al-quida insurgence in Iraq?! How stupid are you? I am a veteran of both Iraq (3 deployments with the 82nd airborne) and Afghanistan (1 year with the Georgia nasty girls). Iraq has been imbrioled in a civil war between the Shia and Sunni factions. The Shia led government is completely intolerant of Al-Quida. There is no Al-quida in Iraq! Learn a little about the subject before you make such broad and felacious comments you chattering jackanape!

"Comment collapsed by the community", whoever is in charge of these sites needs to have a real person deleting a comment instead of posters collapsing comments. Some people are abusing the 'Report this Item" just to drown out people with different views than they have.

Who could blame them when other people are doing the same thing to them? I am sure that there is a predetermined number of hits built into the program that triggers the "Comment collapsed by the community" tag.

A simple up or down button would work better and then if someone actually violates the "Code of Honor" a moderator should delete the comment. If something isn't changed everyone is going to get collapsed and there will be no reason to debate with anyone, have an opinion or post anything since it will be collapsed anyway.

Dianne:: I think there is a smidgen of difference between a set date and a "date by"- Let me see-- this is the end of October. There is a couple of months between now and 31 December. The republithugs are preaching about a set date for them to come home, and as far as I can see there has not been a set date-- just a "use by" date. The republithugs are counting their chickens before they are hatched.

JBURNS::: The "Mission Accomplished" referred tp the fact that he got out of the plane and onto the deck of the carrier without falling on his flat face. THAT was an accomplishment for him! For sure he didn't land the plane!

"W" lied to Congress to get us into Iraq, "W" stole the Presidential election in 2000, "W" is an impostor, "W" is a war criminal, Now its time to mop up "W's" mess, "W" will go down in history as the worst President, "W" and the GOP T-Nut Bag party Destroyed our Country.

you can be damned certain that if Mr. Obama had decided to keep American troops in Iraq past the end of the year, they would be attacking him for that too. If he cured cancer tomorrow, they would complain of all the doctors and nurses needing work. They are pond scum.

GOP criticizes President for declaring sky blue.

News Flash; Obama said good morning the GOP said it is not a good morning.

I'm a vet and I salute the president for his decision to end this war that should never have been fought. I'm so proud of my brothers and sisters in arms and I will be so happy when they come home for the holidays. Thank you Mr. President - for leading!

Nifty Fifty: And were you on here whining about George Bush's promise to find weapons of mass destruction, failing to do so and beginning an 8 year war? Did you whine about "mission accomplished" becoming a world wide joke? No? Guess no hope and no change was fine with you. For the rest of us, an END to GB's insane war with the wrong country, the removal of Hussein, and the expert handling of Lebanon looks pretty dang good. Apparantly, as long as it is infused with a Republican odor, you are unable to tell snake oil--but that doesn't mean most of us can't.

Thomas Blue, 3toGet, Hanover, you guys nailed that! Yep, the last 3 years the Party of NO, have become so blatantly shameless and predictable!! No matter what Obama will do, even if it was their idea they will decry it. How many times has Romney been questioned in the GOP debates about how his MA healthcare been use as a prototype of the healthcare reform and he continuest to deny in front of all the right wing zombies and lemmings! What a scumbag hypocrite!

Jesus could come down right now and say He has heard the prayers of all wanting the end of the war and of the soldiers wanting to come home, and the Repugs will cry out no and have a temper tantrum!! They have gone so far beyond right that if the earth is flat they would have fallen off the edge already.

That is a terrific hypothetical question for the next GOP "debate". I think that Perry's head would literally explode.

Maybe other heads would explode. Maybe a better process for Republicans deciding on their nominee to run for president in the 2012 elections. The last one standing after exploding heads.

I doubt the Republicans would loose any sleep worrying about raising taxes to keep our soldiers in Iraq.

They were perfectly content getting this country into 2 wars. The money that was used to pay from them didn't come from the Republican's or their high flying friends. They just decided to suck the life out of the 98% and send thousands of our soldiers to be gunned down. Remember, Bush and Cheney are still guilty of war crimes. To support them is to support the murder of our brothers and sisters.

"Comment collapsed by the community", whoever is in charge of these sites needs to have a real person deleting a comment instead of posters collapsing comments. Some people are abusing the 'Report this Item" just to drown out people with different views than they have.

Who could blame them when other people are doing the same thing to them? I am sure that there is a predetermined number of hits built into the program that triggers the "Comment collapsed by the community" tag.

A simple up or down button would work better and then if someone actually violates the "Code of Honor" a moderator should delete the comment. If something isn't changed everyone is going to get collapsed and there will be no reason to debate with anyone, have an opinion or post anything since it will be collapsed anyway.

I really think this is a stupid political idea by the republicans. Obama is not weak on foreign policy. He dispatched the Somali pirates in exactly the way the GOP was berating him for not doing. He ordered a daring raid to get Osama just so we would know and he met his end in the most poetic way. He got rid of Gadhafi for good for the price of a year running the USGS without a single American injury or boot on the ground against the protest of the GOP (some of whom criticized him for not going in, then criticized him for going in after he did). He got al Zawahiri without a long protracted conflict or endangering any American lives. Every terrorist plot on American soil has been foiled or failed totally miserably. Now he is ending the theater in Iraq putting our men as and women out of harm's way and reducing spending (which the GOP berates him for not doing enough of.) He has restored some of the frayed relationships with our allies while not making new enemies.

No GOP, if you want to attack the president, don't change the subject to foreign policy. Stick to jobs. Incidentally, my consulting fee is $400/hr. I'll send you your bill.

very well said!!

Sorry, Paul S, either you got your party symbols backwards or I'm misreading your comment. The GOP's symbol is an elephant and yes, the GNOPers would rather see the country fail in order to defeat President Obama--it's been their goal since Nov 2008.

Uhhh, Paul, i hate to break this to you, but the Democrats are the Donkey...the GOP is the Elephant. Sorry dude.

Nevermind. Jody beat me to it.

Paul S, NY NY

And no wonder the party symbol is a jackass...just like all of them....first they want us out ,,,then in...then out,,,,it's like being sc****....well we better not go there.....The only thing the GNOPers are interested in is to see this country fail...party first...country second...

I was aware that deflection is a typical GOP tactic but I would just like to thank you for presenting an excellent example. Identify your own faults (the ones that make Americans crazy) and accuse the other party for those faults. I swear to God, if you hadn't mentioned the party symbol part I would have sworn you are a liberal ranting about the T-Party. Thanks again...you really can't buy this stuff.

"When they show you who they are...believe them"!

Paul S, NY NY - "And no wonder the party symbol is a jackass"

Thanks for yet another stunning example of liberal knowledge, what a very useful and meaningful analysis you provide. LMAO

Hey PJAM09-You must be a fox news lover -Hannity and that druggie Limbaugh. Obama has killed Bin Lden and other key leaders of the terriosts. They were not created or have gotten stronger under President Obama. Republicans like you are the scum of the earth.

Paul S::: I do hope you know the difference between an elephant and a donkey-- I'm sure you have found out by now.

But even tho the republithug symbol is an elephant, the humans are the jackasses.

Please explain why we should stay. We've been there 9 years, it is NOT our country. As for welcoming us as liberators, that's what Cheney said the first time.

Jody,

I do detect a hint of sarcasm in this gentleman's post.

Something wrong with you Tim? Do you like occupying countries and spilling the blood of others, not your own?

I guess you will not be happy until YOUR sons have to go over there and die for nothing! It is easy to sit on your dead butt and say we should keep our young people over there dying for someone else, they have a army, they have people able to fight for themselves, we went there on a lie! We stayed there on a lie, we have lost enough life for a lie... wake up and understand that it is time for us to leave, there was a lot of fat cats who made trillions of dollars off of this war, all our troops got was death, loss limps, broken dreams and nothing much else. It is a shame that YOU do not have to serve in the military , it is a shame that YOU do not have to go over there and die for nothing other than someone making up a lie about why we had to send our young people to die for nothing, for a lie. You are so dumb, I only wish that the next dumb war , that some of your relatives that mean something to you have to go and fight and die for a lie! Now go back and tune in to your favorite little man Rush Limdoper for how to live your life, God you are so dumb!

So let's see... the standard for the end of the Iraqi war moved from finding and neutralizing "weapons of mass destruction" to " breaking the back of Al Quaida in Iraq" to waiting for "Iraq's independence" and now you argue we should move the goalpost to....wait for it...when IRAN can be neutralized?? That's smart and rational? Did you just now discover Iran is the dominant force in the region? Well at least one thing is a point of agreement. Stupidity and ignorance is indeed destroying this country.

Check your sarcasm meter, guys. I think it's broken.

After 9 years fighting Iraq's battles, it's beyond time for them to step up.

I hope that President Obama's handling of Libya, joining a united coalition and not putting one American soldier on the ground, will be the standard operation from now on.

This country is tired of fighting wars for other people. We now must regroup and stay neutral in skirmishes and not send trillions of dollars this country no longer has, to rebuild some other nation.

Every attack against President Obama is an attack against the rational minds of the United States. God help us all if we allow anyone in this crop of Republican candidates to become President. We must vote out any Washington Baron, regardless of their proclaimed party affiliation, who is against the rebuilding of our own country and show allegiance to anyone other than all the citizens.

This country belongs to all of us, not an anointed few. If we don't stand up for ourselves next year we are seriously doomed. Personally, I won't go down without a fight.

to leave a few troops there is ignorant. They would be slaughtered. my nephew is there and everyday they are still being mortared. He is trying to come home, and not in a body bag. I say,let the chips fall where they may. Iraqi's will do whatever they will do with their country. It is up to them to make it a democracy or not if that is what they want. Who are we to decide for them? The different cultures and education levels of the millions of people in that country will decide one way or another. They have been on the edge of a civil war for many years. Their civil war will determine what kind of country they will have in the end, not our decision. Get our troops out of there-all of them-leave no one behind because the ones left behind will pay the price for the "slaughter" that Bush/Cheney started and they will pay dearly. Let Iraq move on without the interference of the U.S. BTW, the GOP want us in there because they have their hands in the military industrial manufacturers pockets!!

echo82 right on. Putting party rhetoric above the welfare and health of this nation..oops, Freudian slip. I agree, cooking their own goose. Good time to Decentralize and empower our States and Local Governments. I have lost alot of faith in the upper eschelons of the political ruling class. Diminished returns. Especially at the upcoming elections, diminished returns to the GOP. The Banks and Corps abused our people, and it's just action reaction time. Newtons Law. It's a sign of good health to not take it anymore, so long as there is no violence to effect change. For violence is an end in itself, a dead end.

President is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't; unpatriotic is the correct choice of word. Party over Country. clear as a bell to even the near sighted. Bottom line though, they are all politicians, just predictable behavior, no diff than an insurance salesperson, realtor, or used car salesman. President's timing couldn't have been better, troops home by Christmas! Politics.

Our troops did a helluva job in spite of a questionable format. How many civilian casualties?

tens of thousands. At least we should keep a couple offshore oil platforms or something......

Grump,

Do be sure to breathe while you wait for your response. Wouldn't want to lose another voice on these boards.

Forrest Grump - It will be interesting to see the GOP candidates try to double speak all of this. I remember in one of their debates, Romney and Perry of course Paul thought that it was time for the troops to come home.

I am really amazed that the candidates not the also rans like Cain, Bachman but serious candidates like Perry and Romney are against bringing our troops home. It is far, far overdue.

Eh. Good for Obama, if he follows through. I totally think we should've done this years ago...but I don't think he'll actually do it. No, he'll leave a really big embassy task force around, maybe a few thousand fellas to help 'train' locals. Won't be called military, of course. Will be called 'advisors'. But if he actually does it completely, without buffalo-ing it like I fear he will...well, I'll lay off the big guy.

most of the GOP have a different criticism, at least.

Ron Paul doesn't think Obama will actually pull ALL the troops out, something he's been campaigning on. (I agree with this).

And Santorum, Rick and Romney all want the permanent-war for the permanent-Mil/Industrial complex spending.

Didya know Lockheed Martin made of 40 Bil last year...and have yet to prove the F-35 actually works more than a single test flight?

That's a sweet gig, man. Anyone know where I can get a gub-ment contracting vehicle? Anyone?

It is beyond me why the belly aching when the people elected the president. Should have known what they were doing. Now a bunch of whining.

Forrest Grump, OIL. Corporate Indus/Military Complex PROFIT via WAR. Two reasons.

However, the war has not stimulated the economy like they used to. Why is that?

Somebody is bogarding all that mooluh... Diminished returns to the taxpayers. It ain't working,

change our tack or go all the way down. JJ

yellowdog - greetings, it is a good deal to see that obama is following the SOFA plan signed by iraq and bush in 2008. However let us not forget that as this SOFA agreement ends, Iraq is still in a position to ask for a new agreement after the 1st of the year.

Bush opened the door for the Iraqi's to establish a democracy or republic, will obama close it?

As for the hopefuls rhetoric, no big deal... politics has a way of changing rhetoric after assuming power.

Bush attacked the wrong country because he said they had weapons of mass destruction, and they were instrumental in 9/11 all of which has been found to be false beyond a shadow of a doubt, that is why we spent the precious American lives and trillions of dollars over the last ten years. Bush had previous said he was not into nation building, nobody was ever told we went to Iraq to "open the door for the Iraqi's to establish a democracy or republic" good spin, no truth to it. Then it became well we have to fight them there so we don't have to fight them here, you know after we made our selves easy targets for every that moved in on us, the factions that were actually never there before because the ruthless Saddam would never tolerate any threat to his control, especially not al-quada. Your right about politics having a way of changing the rhetoric because this was never about "opening the door for the Iraqi's to establish a democracy or republic" that became a political choice, after we wrecked and destablized a sovereign nation. Thats how we got to this point.

In order for wars to stimulate the economy, you need to convert to a wartime economy. This is when you put the majority of the work force to making arms or fighting the war. The government gets the bill because it is a war. We haven't had a wartime economy since WWII, the last time any country posed a real threat of invading our homeland.

Guns or butter but in these instances it was the Industrial War Complex that won and not the common man. The GOP have known what they were doing since Dub-ya with the government contracting out more jobs to the Industrial War Complex players than any other President in the history on the US. Now we have a scam on the government that went down under the last administration through the USACE. They used vehicles to obtain contracts under the guise of 8A contracting creating a subcontractor to do the work. If you have tome look at how much federal contracting has been increasing since Dub-ya took office. This will tell the entire story of where government funds are going and it sure isn't in the pockets of the 98%. Almost all of the government contracting has been going on in the Beltway and not across the US and only so many people can live in that area. Smarten up people and contact your Congressman and Senator to level the playing field. Spread the wealth if this is the path the federal government is going to follow.

It is simple, all the Republicans have to do under the next Republican president is to redeclare the war on Iraq. It seems as if they are hopelessly lost without a war that was unplanned and had no exit strategy.

like uganda and libya right frank? Where are those exit plans? Still a work in progress or something else?

As for iraq here is the exit strategy as agreed to by bush and iraq in 2008.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/world/20081119_SOFA_FINAL_AGREED_TEXT.pdf

OC how can you blame him the party that acts like a jackass has an elephant for a logo it is kind of confusing. Just what does the elephant stand for anyway Maybe the republican cult is the elephant in the room. You can't miss it but don't want to notice it either.

Just what does the republican elephant stand for anyway?

It drops the bigggest loads, then wipes it's butt with it's nose!

And what experience does Mittens have of the military? I seem to remember him proudly stating that his sons were "serving their country" by stumping for him via RV during his last failed run for the presidency.

Last three presidents have had no military experience.

I have said it before and I'll say it again.We can de friends.I'll hug your elephant, while you kiss my ass.

Besides, what is wrong with the jackass. I seem to remember an important historical figure riding into town on the back of one. It was in a very famous book I think. What was his name?? oh thats right: JESUS CHRIST.

Elephants are just MEEN. Been known to attack people without provocation (sounds like the GOP to me).

Well I try Nifty Fifty but honestly I don't think too many people think of me as here comes the peace, love and joy guy, at least you understand the real me.

They will sacrifice anything to get Obama out of office-- even their neighbors' kids.

Oc which party allowed the banks to crash our economy by removing regulations. Just need to check your progress in counseling sessions.

Hey Richard,

All Obama has to do to get things accomplished, is to attempt to do the OPPOSITE of what he really wants. The repugnicans are so stupid and hell bent on opposing him that they'll fight to give him what he really wants. LOL

Maybe all the Dem sheep should go explain to Iraqi's how great this news is.... It's not question of "wanting" to stay it's a question of finishing it now instead of quitting to watch Al Qaeda become bigger than ever and having to start all over again later.

A grim outlook for some Iraqis

"Sadly, the security situation as the United States prepares to fully withdraw the military is exactly the same as it was a year ago when those bombs demolished Noof’s home. The numbers of attacks per day across the country has not changed in more than a year. Also in the last year, the government has accomplished, by most counts, nothing. More than 19 months after elections, it hasn’t even fully formed.

People who a year ago told me they were optimistic about the future of Iraq are now stunningly grim. Iraqis who are eligible for refugee status to America are still scrambling to get their applications through before the program closes. Many who vowed never to leave their homeland are exploring their options."

"There are very real concerns that Iran is only further extending its tentacles into its neighbor. There are alarming signs that the sectarian fissures are beginning to emerge once again."

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/21/a-grim-outlook-for-some-iraqis/?hpt=hp_t1

Al-qaeda and their friends, the Taliban, were on the run when we were concentrating on Afghanistan. Once GW insisted on pursuing his family feud with Saddam and invaded Iraq (which up to then was Al-qaeda-free, Saddam had little tolerance for Muslim hard-liners), Afghanistan was neglected. Al-qaeda followed us into Iraq in order to fight us there.

In the beginning, Afghanistan was a righteous pursuit. We started losing that war once GWB lied us into Iraq.

The failure is Bush's...always has been, always will be.

We can either continue to spend American blood and treasure on this folly of Iraq, or we can save countless American lives and many billions of $ and leave Iraq to the Iraqis.

The Republicans criticizing the president are all hypocrites. The Repubs are doing an excellent job of showing America where they stand...with big money, with the profit-driven war-mongers, and most importantly, willing to see this country suffer in order to defeat the president.

GW's defense contractor owners must really hate this news. It was a good return on investment though.

NewStart - KBR negotiated contracts back in August to take over the logistics & support for US embassies and installations in the region because it was known THEN the troops would be coming home. The only reason the military is not leaving behind a "skeleton crew" is that the Parlament there will not grant the soldiers immunity...a military force can't serve two commanders. It is impossible to have troops subject to two sets of rules, laws & regulations.

pjam09 - how is it that when liberals agree on something we're all sheep, but when you Repugnicans and T-Baggers agree you're not? Doesn't make sense. Maybe you're all a bunch of lemmings - ready to run over the cliff behind know-nothing "leaders".

So what's new? The military always thinks they need to stay longer; it's their job; that's why Vietnam became such a quagmire--the military kept saying if we just send more troops, if we just stay a little longer, if we...

Sorry, that dog won't hunt. We've been there 9 years, it's time for Iraq to stand on their own and during most of those 9 years, we've been told they were training Iraqi troops to take over.

Training can be done anywhere...say right next door in Kuwait.

So JFK2012 I guess that would make the President the "DECIDER." Since you are a Patriot or prefer to have others do you fighting for you, you may want to contact Xe or another private company and volunteer your services...What say? Or are you just another connie yellowstreak!

Ever wonder why nearly all of the active service men are supporting Ron Paul for President? That is where most of his $$$ is coming from

To hell with what the military commanders say,they,re not the ones under fire.It's the ground troops.Had this war ended 5 years ago perhaps my son would be alive today,and a bunch of others also.

That's bs. If the Iraqis are not ready to stand on their own by now it's either a lack of confidence or a lack of motivation (or both). If that's the case, another 10 years, another trillion dollars and another 4500 American lives won't make a damn bit of difference.

Rich I'm so sorry for the loss of your son. My heart goes out to you. I to wish we had gotten out sooner. Just remember your son and how much you love him.

Rich -

I have to agree with dragonmar2 - my deepest sympathies for the loss of your son. While I can not say that I understand how that feels, I can tell you that I lost freinds in the first gulf war that I served with.

In both cases, I never thought we had any legitimate reason to be there, and I am glad to see that the troops are coming home. While I have very little good to say about President Obama, I do have to give him some credit on this - they are coming home, and on his watch.

Let the spin doctors say what they will, to me this is a good thing - regardless of the background, regardless of party.

Now let them them come home from Afghanistan, let them come home from Uganda, and let all of these countries decide for themselves what their future will be.

Rich-

I am sorry to hear of the loss of your son in such a senseless way!! My heart goes out to you.

I agree with your statement of the commanders not being the ones under fire. If that were the case, we would NEVER have been there in the first place.

I want my nephew home from Iraq, and not in a body bag. They are still under fire by mortars everyday, as the country still slips into its civil war mode. It will continue long after we are gone. The middle east has been in conflict for more than 5000 years and it will continue until the end of time. Greed got us there. Oil rich lands, industrial military complex, cia (iran contra affair-where we traded guns for hostages and drugs) and just plain stupidity. I really don't care what Iraq, as a country, does as long as our troops are not there. We need to be out of there and keep our nose in our own country for a while. I applaud Obama for his "mission accomplished" stats (Bin Laden, Gaddafi (sp) and the next leader of Al qaida (sp?)) and his decision to get out!! It is good to know that his monetary future does not come from the same trough as the GOP!!

Has anyone noticed regardless of what Obama does the GOP complains. They're a bunch of downers. Negative outlook and I'm sick of all the negativity. They're negative about everything and have nothing good to say about anyone or anything. LOL

OUwhine and Mona Mayy: I agree. If I didn't believe it before, I do now; some of the Republicans will oppose anything that President Obama does. I wasn't sure if they were opposing the Democratic agenda or President Obama, but the answer is now crystal clear.

I was against the illegal endless wars under Bush and I now against them under Obama, as anyone with a brain cell or two would be. Bush and Obama are two heads of the same coin

As for Bachmann, why wasn't she asking Bush/Cheney to negotiate repayment--they said Iraq's oil would pay for the war.

Are you kidding me? She's still busy arguing with Sara Palin as to why Paul Revere was "ring'in those bells and shoot'in those guns".

the tea party this week sent a letter to members asking those that own businesses to pledge not hire a single person until Obama is out of office even if he wins a second term

He could off Kim Jong and Ackmadinewhateverthefukhisnameis TOMORROW AFTERNOON and the repubs would still talk @!$%#.

He could find the cure for cancer next week and the repubs would still talk @!$%#.

He could end world hunger on Christmas day and the repubs would still talk @!$%#.

He could convince the isrealis and palestinians to accept each other FOREVER and you know what the repubs would do?

they would

STILL

TALK

@!$%#!