Rick Perry Would Put U.S. Troops Back In Iraq (VIDEO)

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry hit President Obama for ending the Iraq war and pulling out U.S. troops -- carrying out a Status of Forces Agreement first negotiated between the Bush administration and the Iraqi government.

"I would send troops back into Iraq," he said. "I think we start talking with the Iraqi individuals there. The idea that we allow the Iranians to come back into Iraq and take over that country, with all of the treasure, both in blood and money, that we have spent in Iraq -- because this president wants to kowtow to his liberal leftist base, and move out those men and women. He could have renegotiated that time frame. I think it is a huge error for us."

Perry added, "We're going to see Iran, in my opinion, move back in at literally the speed of light. They're going to move back in, and all of the work we've done -- every young man that has lost his life in that country will have been for nothing. Because we've got a president that does not understand what's going on in that region."

The speed of light is fast, and it seems doubtful that Iran will be moving back into Iraq in that timeframe. The last U.S. troops left Iraq at the end of 2011, so presumably, if Iran were moving at such a quick pace, it would already be there.

Perry spokesman Mark Miner told The Huffington Post in the spin room after the debate that Perry was talking about having "a strategic presence of troops like we're already doing around the world."

"It wasn't a new policy," he said.

When asked what Perry would do if the Iraqis don't want U.S. troops in their country, he replied, "It has to be a working relationship. What we don't want is Iran to get a hold over Iraq and jeopardize peace in the region and be a detriment to peace in the region."

 

 

Comments

[aquarius2001]

12:51 PM on 01/09/2012

Earth to Rick....Does he not realize that we don't even have the MONEY to support going back into Iraq. We are BROKE!!! Going into Iraq helped bankrupt this country.

[aquarius2001]

12:46 PM on 01/09/2012

With Rick's philosophy, we should also go back to Vietnam, seeing as alot of troops lost their lives there too.

[geeman215]

01:18 AM on 01/09/2012

I don't know about YOU but, I was fully expecting a clown car to pull up on the stage and these idiots file out the car to Carnival music...

They are always talking about "Less Government", "Less Government" but Perry proposes sending Troops back to Iraq. These fools will say anything to placate their base.

I know they'd like to banish the name "Bush" from our consciousness and act like he never EXISTED but, this agreement to, leave Iraq was brokered by the Bush administration.

PLUS they don't want us there. What the heck are we supposed to do? Force ourselves on them?

Lastly, Mr Perry, WHO is gonna pay for this excursion? Your Boy Bush still haven't told us how/who would pay the tab for Iraq-part-1. Where's the cheap Oil we were suppose to get? Where the WMD'S?

[Tracy Fortune]

01:05 AM on 01/09/2012

"What we don't want is Iran to get a hold over Iraq and jeopardize peace in the region and be a detriment to peace in the region." (...or at least that's what one of the smart fellas told me to say...)

[what I mean is, we don't want anyone getting hold of the oil we want]

[andygoutman]

12:16 AM on 01/09/2012

Rick Perry: Let us pray that he will soon exit our lives, never to be heard from again.

[Rias10]

07:58 PM on 01/08/2012

Perry should donate the rest of his campaign money to charity instead of blowing it on a campaign he will never win. That would be the honorable thing to do.

[wlsass]

05:28 PM on 01/08/2012

Perry is wrong about putting our boys back in Iraq. That place will become a rat hole in no time. To many tribe or what you want to call them. They have nothing but bad blood against each other and all want to rule. We don't need our boys in the middle of that.

[muck-raker]

08:38 PM on 01/08/2012

here is just an aside...It is widely known that Saddam ruled with an iron fist and managed to keep all of the factions at bay...The USA has stirred up a hornets nest that will not subside for some time to come...
an impromptu poll taken last year was found that the public by a wide margin would prefer to have Saddam back.

[James Heart]

02:06 AM on 01/09/2012

You're advocating the reinstatement of a murderous dictator rather that attempting to establish a government by the people?

[aquarius2001]

12:48 PM on 01/09/2012

We also don't need our 'Women' back in Iraq either. (Plenty of Women serve right along side those "boys").

=)

[wlsass]

03:05 PM on 01/09/2012

Very true.

[PrehensileOne]

03:51 PM on 01/08/2012

Perry wants to invade a sovereign nation which poses no threat to the United States. He wants to do so unilaterally, without the backing of other nations or even a coherent argument. He is unable to describe an attainable military objective or justify the obvious costs of such venture. And he thinks this position will be a selling point amongst Republican primary voters. Is it a memory thing? Or is this pathology brought on by cognitive dissonance and fundamentalism alone?

Bush without Bush's brain.

[socaltriton]

03:23 PM on 01/08/2012

The Iranian's have light speed technology?!? invade, invade, invade! Rick has access to some pretty sensitive intel, should probably be put in Gitmo indefinitely for making it public...

[david5mitchell8]

03:03 AM on 01/09/2012

"We don't serve Iranians."

An Iranian walks into to a bar in Baghdad.

[kareemachan]

03:15 PM on 01/08/2012

These conservatives sure have a jones to go to war with Iran. I'm betting that the single most disappointing thing Cheney can think of about his time in office is that he couldn't attack Iran.

[layman]

03:07 PM on 01/08/2012

The all mighty MIC would probably take care of Perry niccely cash wise for saying that during the debate. Big Tex never misses an opportunity to line his pocket.

[Sinestro Jones]

03:03 PM on 01/08/2012

Sure right back to Iraq..but before we do that, how about we head back to OZ to re-up that brain, Governor Scarecrow. GOP constantly with the war face...damn tired.

[jusDAfax]

03:01 PM on 01/08/2012

If you've ever wondered what happens to a person who has taken 1 too many dives into the shallow end of the pool.........now you know.

[central66]

06:34 PM on 01/08/2012

LOL!!

[Angela Riverton]

03:00 PM on 01/08/2012

And...Will his son enlist. I think you will hear a different tune then.

[ChrisTT]

02:59 PM on 01/08/2012

What a clown!