Obama announces end to war in Iraq

[iamkeri1]

President Obama announced today that all troops wil be brought home from Iraq by the end of 2011. Only enough troops (number not mentioned) will be left behind to protect our embassy there.

I could not find a downloadable link to this event, so please post one if you can.

Smooches,
Keri

no peace symbols in the smilies?
Picture one HERE

[Hack]

And that sound you hear is Obama trying to shore up his liberal base...

[AtLast]

What this really has to do with is the inability of an agreement for ourtroops (working as security trainers) to have immunity from prosecution in Iraq (under Iraqi law) if the original numbers that were to remain.

Iraq does not want to grant immunity to our military there in any futuire US involvement. Not a political move at all by Obama. These agreements were made under Bush.

[atomiczombie]

Originally Posted by Hack

And that sound you hear is Obama trying to shore up his liberal base...

FINALLY. And yes.

[SelfMadeMan]

I'll believe it when it actually happens... just sayin, until then, talk is cheap and we are in an election era.

[iamkeri1]

Originally Posted by Hack

And that sound you hear is Obama trying to shore up his liberal base...

---and we truly deserve it after putting up with (gritting our teeth through) some very anti-liberal behavior on his part.
Smooches,
Keri

[girl_dee]

I am all about Obama but I remember when he said the troops were coming home ASAP, he was elected, then tens of thousands more troops were deployed.

Supposedly that is what was needed to actually end this mess. Not sure about that!

[Cin]

Originally Posted by AtLast

What this really has to do with is the inability of an agreement for ourtroops (working as security trainers) to have immunity from prosecution in Iraq (under Iraqi law) if the original numbers that were to remain.

Iraq does not want to grant immunity to our military there in any futuire US involvement. Not a political move at all by Obama. These agreements were made under Bush.

I'm confused cause the article says "Obama began his campaign for president by forcefully, clearly promising to end that war. This afternoon he delivered on that promise."

If it's not a political move because of the reasons you stated above, then it's a political move by making it sound like Obama ended the war. Well they make it sound like it by actually saying it.

[Dominique]

Yes...excuse me for being a skeptic....I thought the same thing as you Dee, and will we have jobs for these folks? more politcal posturing

[Cin]

Originally Posted by Cajun_dee

I am all about Obama but I remember when he said the troops were coming home ASAP, he was elected, then tens of thousands more troops were deployed.

Supposedly that is what was needed to actually end this mess. Not sure about that!

Well it's certainly too little too late.

It is always good when people stop killing each other though and i'll be glad when the troops come home.

I think Yellow band is right about a jobs though. But they've had lots of practice occupying stuff so maybe there will be something they can do. Lots to occupy here now.

[Apocalipstic]

I will believe it when I see it too.

And whoever started the process the spin on some of the media is that President Obama is doing this.....Which makes it seem like he is trying to round up some Liberal good will.

[Starbuck]

Originally Posted by SelfMadeMan

I'll believe it when it actually happens... just sayin, until then, talk is cheap and we are in an election era.

I'm with you SMM, 100%, I'll believe it when I see it! And I'm not even from the "Show Me" state. I do hope our troops get to come home and not merely recycled through Afghanistan.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Miss Tick

I'm confused cause the article says "Obama began his campaign for president by forcefully, clearly promising to end that war. This afternoon he delivered on that promise."

If it's not a political move because of the reasons you stated above, then it's a political move by making it sound like Obama ended the war. Well they make it sound like it by actually saying it.

here is an article- some background about the recent situation about the immunity situation and our continuing to have training troops in Iraq (not combat troops0. Actually, it is always important to look at US military involvement worldwide historically and the distinction between combat and training troops.

There were always going to be troops left in Iraq to guard our embassy as well as troops continuing to train Iraq's security forces.

This article points to factors surrounding changes in US military remaining in Iraq as non-combat troops and how we could not reach an agreement about them having immunity from prosecution under Iraq law.

Obama has always talked about "combat troops" leaving- but this is not the same as these other types of troops- and now there are differences about these troops and remaining in Iraq.

We still have troops in Korea, Japan, and Germany to name some of them that have been in these countries since the end of wars/conflicts/occupations that we were involved with over many, many years. We never fully leave.

[iamkeri1]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

I'm with you SMM, 100%, I'll believe it when I see it! And I'm not even from the "Show Me" state. I do hope our troops get to come home and not merely recycled through Afghanistan.

Yesterday, when Gaddafi was killed, the talking heads went on and on about the low cost and low loss (for us) of the US and Nato approach to the Lybian insurrection and what other countries it would be effective with. It gave me a chill. Today the announcement about pulling the troops out of Iraq. Again a chill. Who would be next? Since we seem to be addicted to war, where would these troops be sent next? Iran is my bet. though I deeply deeply hope I am wrong.

Smooches,
Keri

[Mtn]

A status of forces agreement is normal when an "occupying force" starts to downsize. When I was stationed in Frankfurt in the early 80's we were still functioning under a SOFA from WW2. The current government of Iraq is made up of a variety of factions, even more complicted than our democrats vs republicans and add other parties, and most of them are armed. Our talking heads can't agree on anything, so no surprise that their's can't either. I believe that if our troops stayed they needed that protection. Mostly I am happy that OUR troops will be home for the holidays. I doubt there is anything that Obama can do at this point to get him reelected, because of the state of the economy, but yayyyy to the end of the American war in Iraq.

[AtLast]

What keeps going through my mind about this is how we have an entire generation of young military that have been to hell and back again on deployments to Iraq- and will we treat them well upon their return? I am happy to see us leave Iraq but feel like most people only look at this single point. many that are leaving Iraq will go to Afghanistan as well. We have put hundreds of thousands of our troops through 10 years of war and I wonder what their lives will be like when they all finally return (those that will come back).

Active military in the US makes up less than 4% of the population and the remaining 96% takes little interest in the emotional toil these troops have gone through along with their families and friends. Unemployment rates are high for those ending their military enlistment and thousands are not receiving the medical and mental health care they need when returning home. They walk in a country that unless there are other military friends and relatives they know, does not even think about the sacrifices they have made. Many will end up divorced due to the number of deployments they have served and families broken into pieces with young kids never knowing the parent that has been away for several years with brief periods inbetween deployments. The prolonged economic stress for spouses left at home are immense along with all of the other stresses.

I am happy we are getting out of Iraq, you bet, but I hope the general population pays attention to all of what our military goes through while serving during wartime.

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by iamkeri1

President Obama announced today that all troops wil be brought home from Iraq by the end of 2011. Only enough troops (number not mentioned) will be left behind to protect our embassy there.

The announcement is three years too late and, in any event, the US shouldn't have been in Iraq in the first place. Same with the UK and the other countries that have sacrificed smaller numbers of their men and women in a foreign conflict in which we should have no strategic or selfish interest.

Same goes for Afghanistan.

[EnderD_503]

Wasn't the end of the Iraq war already announced over a year back when the slow withdrawal of troops was originally announced? So this is the new official, official end?

Anyways, good to see it all come to an end. The US never should have stuck its nose in Iraq to begin with.

[iamkeri1]

Originally Posted by Ciaran

The announcement is three years too late and, in any event, the US shouldn't have been in Iraq in the first place. Same with the UK and the other countries that have sacrificed smaller numbers of their men and women in a foreign conflict in which we should have no strategic or selfish interest.

Same goes for Afghanistan.

Couldn't agree with you more - and throw in Lybia as well.
Smooches,
Keri