Iraq Defense Minister Sees Need For US Troops Until 2018

New York Times:

The Iraqi defense minister said Monday that his nation would not be able to take full responsibility for its internal security until 2012, nor be able on its own to defend Iraq's borders from external threat until at least 2018.

Those comments from the minister, Abdul Qadir, were among the most specific public projections of a timeline for the American commitment in Iraq by officials in either Washington or Baghdad. And they suggested a longer commitment than either government had previously indicated.

Pentagon officials expressed no surprise at Mr. Qadir's projections, which were even less optimistic than those he made last year.

President Bush has never given a date for a military withdrawal from Iraq but has repeatedly said that American forces would stand down as Iraqi forces stand up. Given Mr. Qadir's assessment of Iraq's military abilities on Monday, such a withdrawal appeared to be quite distant, and further away than any American officials have previously stated in public.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[jsarets]

Well, according to my calculations and timetable, I'm not going to be able to retire until 2058. Where's my handout from the U.S. government?

Social welfare is bad
Corporate welfare is good
Military welfare is great

What's the rush? We're just basking in the warm glow of this massive redistribution of wealth from our grandchildren to the defense industry. Where are the pro-lifers when we need them to protect the rights of unborn taxpayers?

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Meanwhile, 3 out of 4 Iraqis believe it's OK to make OUR troops dead, BECAUSE we occupy THEIR country.

I'd love to see the Universe SHOVE this neoCON/corporate natural resources kick-back scheme, criminally made possible with A FEW GREEDY Iraqi puppets, right up the ol' multi-national conglomerate poop-chute.

It will ALWAYS be a CRIMINAL SHAME upon the preznutz and OUR country.

[IMPRISONBUSH]

WELL hearing we need more troops in IRAQ & AFGHANSTAN only proves we have the WON THE WAR & FREEDOM has overcome BUSHES FEAR OF EVEL.
..........­........OR­..........­..........­...
we ARE RUNING OUT OF BODDYS ON THE FRONT LINE ?.

LOOKS like the IRAQE ARMY AFTER FIVE YEARS STILL CANT STAND TO FIGHT FOR THERE OWN FREEDOM, ITS BETTER AMERICAN YOUNG DO THE DIEING ?.

[shanghaislim]

Fast Forward to the Spring of 2017:

President Jeb Bush announces THE NEW NEW SUPER NEW SURGE!!!

[Meah]

Imagine. Had we just gone to Afghanistan and taken care of the problem there, how many more of our kids would be alive? How many Iraqis would be alive? And would we still be a friend to all of those people in the world? Oh, but there is not much oil there, is there?

[DoorsOfMyFace]

Till 2018, hunh? They're in really deep shit then.

[ChiGuy]

The first task the new Democratic POTUS should undertake after taking the oath is to send Bush a "Thanks for nothing" card.

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

Straight Up.....not going to happen; wouldn`t be prudent

[lungfish]

This guy probably said this after a payoff from the US... most of Iraqi citizens don't want us there at all.

But the big benefit of the US staying there is that the money will keep flowing, that the graft and corruption will continue and that our boys will die while killing their enemies...­. The US represents a huge cash cow to a corrupt situation like Iraq. We have simply "lost" billions in cash, weapons, equipment, materials, etc....all to corruption and criminality.

[fourex]

Money, money, money, mean old green.

[TequilaMockingbird]

Well, it is a good thing that the Surge worked and we might get to leave in 2018... Of course we could keep on winning and stay FOREVER..

Wouldn't that be cool..

[VivaZapata]

Fine with Bush. McCain thinks a hundred is a good number. These are the same guys who said they would not stay a minute longer than needed to get the job done. Well, on second thought, I guess there's no real conflict between the two statements. That job ain't ever gettin' done.

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

Tom Cruise perhaps said it best:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/14/tom-cruise-in-scientology_n_81310.html

"Look, I wish the world was a different place. I'd like to go on vacation and go and romp and play and just do that, you know what I mean. That's what I want it to be. There's times I'd like to do that, but I can't because I know I have to do something about it.

"I have to do it because I can't live with myself if I don't, and that really is it.

"I have to tell you something - it is rough and tumble, and it's wild and wooly, and it's a blast, it's a blast, it really is fun because, dammit, there is nothing better than the going out there and fighting the fight and suddenly you see things are better.

"I need more help, get those spectators either in the playing field or out of the arena. Really, that's how I feel about it.