Obama Sticks to a Deadline in Iraq

[babylonsister]

Obama Sticks to a Deadline in Iraq

By PETER BAKER and ROD NORDLAND
Published: April 27, 2010


WASHINGTON — When President Obama approved a plan to withdraw combat forces from Iraq this summer, it was based on the assumption that a newly elected government would be in place by the time Americans headed home. Fourteen months later, that assumption is exploding but the plan remains the same.

The delay and messy aftermath of the Iraqi election mean it may be months before the next government is formed, even as tens of thousands of American troops pack to leave. Yet Mr. Obama has not had a meeting on Iraq with his full national security team in months, and the White House insists that it has no plans to revisit the withdrawal timetable.

The situation presents a test for Mr. Obama’s vow to end the war, perhaps the most defining promise he made when he ran for president. While Mr. Obama has proved flexible about other campaign promises and deadlines, his plan to pull out combat forces by August and the remaining 50,000 trainers and advisers by December 2011 has been the most inviolate of policies.

By sticking to the deadline, Mr. Obama effectively is abandoning the thesis he adopted on the recommendation of military and civilian advisers in February 2009 that a large American military presence was needed long enough to provide stability during the post-election transition.

Instead, the president is now relying on the conclusion that Iraqis are stepping up to the challenges of governing and security that for too long depended on Americans.

“We see no indications now that our planning needs to be adjusted,” said Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser to Mr. Obama. “We did anticipate an extended period of government formation,” and recent Iraqi-led missions that have killed leaders of Al Qaeda in Iraq show “their growing capacity to provide for security, which of course is critical to ending our combat mission at the end of August.”

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/world/middleeast/28iraq.html?hp

[CTLawGuy]

1. I'm glad we are still able

to withdraw troops according to schedule.

[Clio the Leo]

2. "Everybody GET the F out ...."

"... THEY got this." ;)

[Cha]

3. Good.

[damonm]

4. but-but-but...Obama's EXPANDING the wars!

Didn't you get the memo?
:sarcasm:

[FrenchieCat]

5. Good!

[NoSheep]

6. He was WAY too specific to not follow through. It would have alienated too many.

That seemed obvious to me. I hope this will remain so.