Iraqis Welcome Obama Troop Withdrawal (VIDEO)

Residents of Baghdad say the departure of most U.S. troops next year is welcome, although some wonder if the country's military is ready to offer protection.

Comments

[LuckyLeif]

Obama's plan? Obama's plan?! HA! I believe the Iraqis told us when they'd like to see us leave, and this President's plan is to leave 50,000 troops, so I guess it is not Obama's plan, nor does the word 'leave' actually mean 'leave.' We are outraged Mr. President, outraged. Is this Obama's war for oil? Obama lied, and people will die?!

http://allanerickson.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/democracy-in-iraq-what-happened-to-fiasco/

[nuclearmonkeys]

The 50k leave a year later. Stop hyperventilating for a moment and maybe think about it k?

[Ergon]

But Afghans don't

[Brillig]

Get out of Iraq and leave them to it.

Get out sensibly as we are doing now.

We made the mess, we cannot just cut and run in one minute.

Careful withdrawal, that is what is needed.

Too many children live in America and post to this blog. Do you want some cheese with that WHINE?

[nogimmicks]

By making the neoconservatives and war profiteers happy with a slow withdrawal, huge residual force and a surge in Afghanistan President Obama has exposed his major weakness as a leader who is capable of pulling us out of the current crisis.

[bilmardre]

The American people trust President Obama's judgment. If he does something stupid, we will call him on it, not blindly follow. Until then, he has our support.

[unite4change]

Maybe he knows something we and the media don't.

[jay1975]

Don't you dare bring up the fact that the POTUS and the DOD are privy to info that we do not see. Just blindly support and chastise that which you do not understand.

[Paul]

I agree.

We should have everyone out. No residual force.

Same for Afghanistan - we don't need to be there.

[SPQR1775]

Apollo speak as a military officer with over 15 years in the active Army I agree with our Commander in Chief, President Obama. There is NOL country in the Middle East, not even Israel that will allow American Forces to be stationed on their land!! The unforseen consequences of Iraq was a shame, it allowed the Bush/Cheny adminsitration to leave Saudi Arabia w/o anyone taking notice. Saudi Arabia was on the verge of collapse from within and Iraq was an engineered WAR to move the troops and it blow up in our face, because we believe as Americans always do, that we know what's best for the people of a foreign country more than we know the crooks and corrupt dealers in our own. The Canadians, Russians, Chinese, Mexicans have grounds for an attack by the way we seem to use to justify attacking others. China can cripple the US by economic means because they hold trillions in US Debts and Bonds, the Mexicans for the way we treat their people and our drug laws that is crippling their nation, the Canadians for 200 years of grievences and Russia for moving arms on its borders. We can do better and we must. Iraq IS NOT AN AMERICAN territory, why should we have anything to do with who governs it. We try to recreate WWII nation building, it is another debacle like Vietnam . The imperialist empire alliagnment of the GOP must end!

[jay1975]

Military officers are required to hold a Bachelors degree. Reading your post leads me to believe that your, sir, are no gentelman and certainly no officer.

[MagisterLudi]

Due to efforts of Americans and sunni Al Qaeda and other Jihadist groups were defeated in Iraq.
Now it's time to stadn down and see what happens.
No need to speculate.
Soon enough We will find out if Iraqis are politically mature enough bring a peaceful division of Iraq's resources and land. Hopefully they are.
If not, same people demanding ASAP withdrawal will begin demanding ASAP re-engagement.

[ApolloSpeaks]

KERRY'S WITHDRAWAL PLAN

Fate is playing an awfully cruel trick on the new president as he is setting the stage for the return of Iraq to pre-surge chaos. Instead of doing the sensible thing as outlined by John Kerry in his September 2007 Senate speech: redeploying our troops in Iraq to a neigboring country to serve as a buffer against Iranain ambitions, to the joy of the mullahs (and Syrians) he is removing them entirely from the region. A tragic mistake that will come back to haunt him as his engagement strategy for the region is doomed to fail due to the intransigence of the players and their lack of respect for him as Obama is seen as a push over and a weakling.

[Jimmiefromdayton]

.......don­'t be rediculous. Two words for you......N­avy destroyers. In particular the Aegis Class, can porvide the fire power to reinforce the Iraqi security forces with out the need for that heavy a foot print in Iraq or surround countries. As for the President being weak, that sounds like a personal opinion that flies in the face of reality. But you're entitled to be deranged. The president on the other hand is not allow that comfort. He has an economy to revive and another war in Afghanistan with no clear mission to resolve. Duh!

[ApolloSpeaks]

Kerry's plan was geared toward the long term stability of the region and for forceful coercive diplomacy with Iran. Leaving our troops in the region would raise our leverage in dealing with the mullahs as their greatest fear is a U.S. invasion. It is clear from Obama's withdrawal plans that he doesn't have a long term commitment to the region and that is how it's being read by our adversaries-who are delighted. Iran fears our ground troops more than our navel presence in the Gulf. Obama's withdrawal plan reinforces the perception that he is a weak leader. That is not my opinion, it is the way of the world and the brutal harsh realities of the Middle East.