Iraqi Official Says Most Foreign Troops to Leave by End of 2007

[sabra]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aJOkggGwd_4k&refer=top_world_news

Iraqi Official Says Most Foreign Troops to Leave by End of 2007

June 11 (Bloomberg) -- The number of foreign troops in Iraq will drop to fewer than 100,000 by January and most will have left within 18 months, according to that nation's national security adviser.

``By the end of next year most of the multinational forces will have gone home,'' the adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, said today on CNN's ``Late Edition.''

President George W. Bush promised last month to keep U.S. troops, who account for about 133,000 of the 149,000 coalition forces, in Iraq until its government is ready to take over security. The Bush administration is holding a two-day meeting at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, starting tomorrow to plan ways to prop up the Iraqi government.

Bush faces domestic pressure over Iraq. An Associated Press-Ipsos poll last week found 59 percent of adults believe the U.S. made a mistake in entering the war three years ago. House Republicans, trying to maintain control of Congress this election year, plan to debate the war this week.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Sure. "Ding-dong". Excuse me, the Easter Bunny is at the door. Gotta run,

And you want us to believe this drivel?

[democrank]

2. Hmmm....

I`m wondering exactly what kind of "employees" (isn`t the number around 5,000?) will be housed at our new mega-embassy in Baghdad?

[bluestateguy]

3. The definition of the word "most"

adj 1: (superlative of `many' used with count nouns and often preceded by `the') quantifier meaning the greatest in number; "who has the most apples?"; "most people like eggs"; "most fishes have fins" 2: the superlative of `much' that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by `the'; a quantifier meaning the greatest in amount or extent or degree; "made the most money he could"; "what attracts the most attention?"; "made the most of a bad deal" adv 1: used to form the superlative; "the king cobra is the most dangerous snake" 2: very; "a most welcome relief" 3: (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; `near' is sometimes used informally for `nearly' and `most' is sometimes used informally for `almost'; "the job is (just) about done"; "the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded"; "we're almost finished"; "the car all but ran her down"; "he nearly fainted"; "talked for nigh onto 2 hours"; "the recording is well-nigh perfect"; "virtually all the parties signed the contract"; "I was near exhausted by the run"; "most everyone agrees"


http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=most

So if 65,000 troops are still there in 2008, then technically this hack is telling the truth. That would still be an occupation force, and would hardly be cause for celebration.

[daleo]

4. Come 2007, the headline will be "most troops to leave by 2009". n/t

[keopeli]

5. What will they do with the 14 new sprawling military bases in Iraq?

:sarcasm:

[struggle4progress]

6. Those? Those aren't bases: that's our diplomatic mission!