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Status of Forces Agreement

The Forgotten War

Chris Weigant | Posted 09.24.2009 | Politics

Read More: George Bush, US Military, President Obama, Pentagon, Troops, Timetable, Status of Forces Agreement, Forgotten War, War, American Troops, Iraq, Obama, US Troops, 2011, Barack Obama, Withdrawal, Bush, Military, 2010, Combat Troops, Troop, Deadline, Sofa, Chris Weigant, Afghanistan, Maliki, Politics News
Chris Weigant

No so very long ago, Afghanistan was known as "the forgotten war." But these days, Afghanistan is hard to miss in the headlines. Obama needs to begin talking about our newly-forgotten war: Iraq.

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U.S. Advisor's Memo On Iraq: Time To "Go Home"

The New York Times | Posted 08.30.2009 | World

Read More: Timothy R. Reese, Sofa, Robert Gates, Ray Odierno, Iraqi Army, Iraq War, General Petraeus, Iraq, American Military, Status of Forces Agreement, Nouri Al Maliki, U.S. Military, World News

A senior American military adviser in Baghdad has concluded in an unusually blunt memo that the Iraqi forces suffer from deeply entrenched deficiencie...

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Iraq: What Must Now Be Done

James Zogby | Posted 08.02.2009 | Politics

Read More: Iraq Study Group, Iraq War, US Military, Middle East, Foreign Affairs, Iraq, Status of Forces Agreement, War in Iraq, Politics News
James Zogby

Victory has not been won, nor has America's responsibility ended.

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Iraq: What We Leave as We Withdraw

Jodie Evans | Posted 08.01.2009 | World

Read More: Women, Iraq Troop Withdrawal, Sofa, Status of Forces Agreement, Iraq, World News
Jodie Evans

Just six years ago, only the old and very religious were covered, women were employed everywhere and Baghdad University was bustling with young women. Now it is bleak.

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The Beginning of the End of the Iraq War?

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.30.2009 | World

Read More: Troops, President Obama, Timetable, Status of Forces Agreement, Obama, Election, 130000, Withdrawal, Barack Obama, Bush, Iraqi, Elections, Surge, Al-Maliki, Chris Weigant, Sofa, Iraq War, National Sovereignty Day, Iraq, Milestone, Maliki, Cities, Timetable for Withdrawal, World News
Chris Weigant

If our soldiers are out of Iraqi cities, and the Iraqi security forces start shouldering more and more responsibility as a result, do we really need all 130,000 troops sitting in their bases?

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U.S. Troop Withdrawal From Iraq: Share Your Stories

Huffington Post | Morgan Korn | Posted 07.16.2009 | World

Read More: Iraq War, u.s. Drawdown, Iraqi Soldiers, American Soldiers, u.s. Pullout, War Wire, Iraq Prime Minister, Nuri Kamal Al-Maliki, Baghdad, Iraq Occupation, General Ray Odierno, Iraq, Status of Forces Agreement, World News

On June 30, 2009, thousands of American troops will withdraw from Iraqi cities. The U.S. and Iraqi governments agreed last year to a security plan whi...

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Jason Linkins

Iraqis Press For Referendum That Could Force Accelerated Withdrawal

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 07.11.2009 | Politics

Read More: Status of Forces Agreement, Iraqi Referendum, Withdrawal, Iraq War, Iraq Withdrawal, War in Iraq, Politics News

According to the New York Times, the Iraqi parliament is "pressing ahead" with plans for a national referendum on the existing Status of Forces Agreem...

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First Milestone Approaches In Iraq Withdrawal Timetable

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.13.2009 | World

Read More: Sectarian Violence, President Obama, Troops, Timetable, Sectarian, Obama, US Troops, Awakening, Shiite, Withdrawal, Bush, Military, Surge, Sofa, Kurds, Oil Revenues, Security, June 30, Article 24, Acceptible Level of Violence, War, Timeline, Status of Forces Agreement, American Troops, Barack Obama, Iraq War, Awakening Councils, Deadline, Combat Troops, Chris Weigant, Oil, Iraq, Maliki, Mosul, Timetable for Withdrawal, Cities, Sunni, World News
Chris Weigant

America pulling combat forces out of Iraqi cities is going to have multiple effects within the country. At this point, nobody can accurately predict what those effects are going to be with 100 percent reliability.

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House Appropriations Committee Moves Against Iraq Mission Creep

Tom Andrews | Posted 06.07.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congress, Sam Farr, Ray Odierno, Appropriations, Tom Ricks, Camp Lejeune, Iraq, Status of Forces Agreement, David Obey, Barack Obama, Politics News
Tom Andrews

The Farr amendment not only affirms Congressional support, but positions Congress to keep a close eye out for evidence of mission creep.

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Jason Linkins

New Poll Of Iraqis Should Change Media Coverage

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 04.16.2009 | Politics

Read More: Polls, Status of Forces Agreement, Surge, Iraq, Polling, Iraq War, Politics News

Via Taegan Goddard comes the news of a new poll conducted by ABC/BBC/NHK, with the current, on-the-ground opinions of Iraqis. Goddard pulls the juicy...

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Where is Mohammed al-Daini? [Updated]

Dal LaMagna | Posted 04.06.2009 | World

Read More: Obama Troops, Obama Iraq Withdrawal, War, President Obama, Obama Withdrawal Plan, War in Iraq, Barack Obama, Iraq War, US Troops Iraq, Iraq Troop Withdrawal, Mohammed Al-Daini, 100 Days, Status of Forces Agreement, Status of Forces, Iraq, Sunnis, Nouri Al Maliki, Obama Iraq, Mohammed Al-Dynee, World News
Dal LaMagna

The U.S. may be leaving Iraq, but we should not be abandoning the Iraqi people. Particularly those who have put their lives on the line to rebuild their country in peace.

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What Obama's Iraq Speech Means for American Foreign Policy

Ilan Goldenberg | Posted 04.02.2009 | World

Read More: Redeployment, Obama, Iraq, National Security, Obama Troops, Troops, Obama Iraq Withdrawal, War, President Obama, Obama Withdrawal Plan, War in Iraq, Barack Obama, Iraq War, Miltary, US Troops Iraq, Iraq Troop Withdrawal, 100 Days, Status of Forces, Status of Forces Agreement, Obama Iraq, World News
Ilan Goldenberg

It's not all about Iraq. It is about America's interests around the globe and the costs and benefits of pursuing different strategies.

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Obama's Iraq: All Troops Out By 2011? Not So Fast

Jeremy Scahill | Posted 03.31.2009 | World

Read More: Chuck Schumer, Obama Afghanistan, Mitch McConnell, Private Contractors, Afghanistan, George W. Bush, President Obama, Iraq Contractors, Iraq, Camp Lejeune, Barack Obama, Iraq War, Thomas Ricks, Mercenaries, Jim Miklaszeswki, Blackwater, Nancy Pelosi, Iraq Troop Withdrawal, Harry Reid, Status of Forces Agreement, Residual Force, Surge in Afghanistan, John Mchugh, World News
Jeremy Scahill

The contradiction between President Obama's speech at Camp Lejeune and his rhetoric before he was elected should serve as a warning to those who take his words at face value.

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Democrats Should Support Obama's Troop Plan

Jacob Heilbrunn | Posted 03.30.2009 | Politics

Read More: Obama Troops, Troops, Obama Iraq Withdrawal, War, President Obama, Obama, Obama Withdrawal Plan, War in Iraq, Barack Obama, Iraq War, US Troops Iraq, Nancy Pelosi, Iraq Troop Withdrawal, Harry Reid, 100 Days, Iraq, Status of Forces, Status of Forces Agreement, Obama Iraq, Politics News
Jacob Heilbrunn

If Iraq remains or becomes even more stable in 2010, then Obama will almost surely draw down troops even more quickly than he's currently announcing.

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Obama Bringing Troops Home: Are We Ready to Welcome Them?

Paul Rieckhoff | Posted 03.30.2009 | Politics

Read More: Iraq War, Afghanistan, Unemployment, Budget, Ptsd, Economy, Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq Veterans, Veterans, Obama Veterans, Obama Withdrawal Plan, Obama Iraq, Obama Troops, Troops, Obama Iraq Withdrawal, War, President Obama, War in Iraq, Barack Obama, US Troops Iraq, Iraq Troop Withdrawal, 100 Days, Status of Forces Agreement, Iraq, Status of Forces, Politics News
Paul Rieckhoff

Whether it is 16 months or 19 months or 23 months, whether the residual force is 10,000 or 50,000 troops, the president's new plan will create a surge of new veterans coming home in 2009 and 2010. We need to be ready.

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On the Right Path, Finally, in Iraq

Jon Soltz | Posted 03.30.2009 | World

Read More: Iraq War, Troops, President Obama, US Troops Iraq, War, Iraq Troop Withdrawal, Status of Forces, Iraq, Status of Forces Agreement, War in Iraq, Barack Obama, Obama Troops, Obama Iraq Withdrawal, Obama Withdrawal Plan, 100 Days, Obama Iraq, World News
Jon Soltz

If President Obama does continue to draw down, we will be more secure, and our military will now have a chance to repair the damage done to it by the previous administration.

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Obama Squares Off With Top Iraq Commander On Withdrawal

Foreign Policy Magazine | Marc Lynch | Posted 03.01.2009 | World

Read More: Pulling Out Troops in Iraq, President Obama, Iraq Withdrawal, Military Tensions, Iraqi Elections, US Troops in Iraq, Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, War in Iraq, Status of Forces Agreement, World News

The institutional pushback against Obama's attempt to change Iraq policy is unfolding as predicted. After a steady stream of Washington Post and Wall ...

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A Close Look At The Iraq Status Of Forces Agreement [Part 1]

Chris Weigant | Posted 01.08.2009 | World

Read More: Bases, Troops, Jurisdiction, Timetable, Status of Forces Agreement, American Forces, Forces, Iraq, Agreement, Contractor, Bush, Iraq War, Soldiers, Chris Weigant, Sofa, Armed Forces, Blackwater, Security Contractor, Maliki, Status of Forces, Timetable for Withdrawal, Warwire, World News
Chris Weigant

What I found is that the Iraqis got almost everything they had pushed for, and the Bush administration got almost nothing of what they wanted.

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Suicide Blasts Kill 17 In Iraq, Same Day U.S. Troop Pact Approved

AP | ROBERT H. REID | Posted 01.04.2009 | World

Read More: Security in Iraq, Iraq, Sofa, Us Troop Pact Iraq, Status of Forces Agreement, Sofa Iraq, Suicide Blasts Iraq, World News

BAGHDAD — A security pact with a timetable for pulling U.S. forces from Iraq won final government approval Thursday, even as suicide bombers kil...

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Iraqi Council Gives Final Approval To Troop Pact With US

AP | Posted 01.04.2009 | World

Read More: Iraq Approves Sofa, Us Iraq Troop Pact, Iraq, Sofa, Iraq Approves Troop Pact, Iraq President, Status of Forces Agreement, Iraq Council Approval, World News

BAGHDAD — Iraq's three-member presidential council on Thursday approved a security pact with the United States that sets out a three-year timefr...

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Top Shiite Cleric Expresses Concern Over US-Iraq Security Pact

Posted 12.30.2008 | World

Read More: Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, Iraq, Sofa, Status of Forces Agreement, Iraq Sofa, Shiite Cleric Iraq, Shiite Cleric Us Troops, Us Troop Withdrawal Iraq, Al-Sistani, Al-Sistani Americans, World News

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Future Uncertain For Vast US Embassy In Baghdad

McClatchy Newspapers | Posted 12.29.2008 | World

Read More: Americans Iraq, American Withdrawal Iraq, Sofa, US Embassy Baghdad, Iraq Troop Withdrawal, Iraq Withdrawal, Iraq, Status of Forces Agreement, US Embassy Iraq, Future of Iraq, World News

Shelley's lines about a long-forgotten ruler's monument to himself come unavoidably to mind the first time one visits the new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad....

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Jason Linkins

Newly Signed SOFA To Spur WIthdrawal, Benefit Obama

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 12.20.2008 | Politics

Read More: Iraq Status of Forces Agreement, War on Iraq, Sofa, Iraq Withdrawal, Status of Forces Agreement, Barack Obama, Politics News

As has been widely reported, the recently signed Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and the Iraqi Cabinet could potentially "[close]...

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Seth Colter Walls

Bush Running Out Of Time For Iraq-U.S. Security Deal, House Dems Say

HuffingtonPost.com | Seth Colter Walls | Posted 11.30.2008 | Politics

Read More: Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Iraq War, Bill Delahunt, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Sofa, War Wire, George W. Bush, Rosa DeLauro, Status of Forces Agreement, Politics News

Two House Democrats are expressing "uncertainty" that President Bush will have enough time to finalize the planned Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) w...

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Maliki's Leverage Over Bush

Chris Weigant | Posted 10.09.2008 | Politics

Read More: George Bush, Negotiation, Concession, Troops, United Nations, 16 Month, Iraq, Mccain, Obama, Campaign, 2013, Withdrawal, President, Bob Woodward, 2010, 2008, Bugging, Sofa, Puppet, 2008 Campaign, Un, Status of Forces Agreement, Status of Forces, Parliament, John McCain, Time Horizon, Withdraw, Combat, Timeline, Forces, Spying, 2008 Elections, 08, 2011, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, Spy, 08 Campaign, Barack, 2008 Presidential Race, Maliki, Senate, Aspirational Goal, Woodward, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Because the clock is running out on Bush and because his domestic popularity continues to fall, Maliki is using the international media to boost his own popularity with the voters in Iraq.

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