Defense Secretary Gates: Some Troops May Remain in Iraq for Years

[Cali_Democrat]

Something tells me that it will be a LONG time until the last US soldier leaves Iraq. Call it a hunch :(

Gates Says Some Troops May Remain in Iraq for Years
By ELISABETH BUMILLER
Published: April 8, 2011

MOSUL, Iraq — Some American troops could stay in Iraq for years, well beyond the scheduled withdrawal of all United States forces at the end of 2011, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on Friday.

In remarks to American soldiers in Mosul, north of Baghdad, Mr. Gates said that the United States and Iraq would have to negotiate the terms of any American presence in the country beyond this year. But he held out the possibility that it could happen, or at least that he had been thinking of several scenarios that might keep American forces in Iraq, perhaps indefinitely.

“That would be part of any negotiation, whether it be for a finite period of time, whether it would be negotiated that there be a further ramp-down over a period of two or three years, or whether we would have a continuing advise-and-assist role as we have in a number of countries,” Mr. Gates said.

The United States trains militaries in countries all over the world, including the Middle East, and has had forces in Germany and Japan since the end of World War II.

Read more...http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/world/middleeast/09military.html

[ProSense]

1. "But he held out the possibility that it could happen"

<...>

But keeping troops in Iraq beyond the 2011 deadline would have political ramifications in both Washington and Baghdad. President Obama promised to pull all American forces out of Iraq when he ran for the White House in 2008; Prime Minister Nouri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq is facing pressure from politicians loyal to the anti-American cleric Moktada al-Sadr to get all American troops out by the deadline.

<...>

Maybe when Gates is no longer Sec. of Defense, they'll stop spinning these quotes.

[tekisui]

9. Let's talk again in December/January.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. Sounds like a lot of speculation to me

I can't wait until there's a meltdown here about THIS! :eyes:

I am of the opinion, however, that we need to seriously examine pulling troops back in from Europe and, possibly, Japan- areas that are pretty settled and have been settled for several decades now IMHO.

[RichGirl]

12. There's a meltdown if Obama has ice cream instead of....

...staying true to his love of pie!

There are troops all over the world.

[gimama]

3. bring 'em ALL Home, now.

there was an article early this wk, COMMON DREAMS,
I think, reporting the staff at US Embassy in Baghdad
was to double,between now & 2012..
it also said specifically that "security" would be handled by "private contractors".
At the time, I Wondered if it would be 'Xe', so the Military could come Home..

this is ALL so messed up. :(
I'll try to find/post the article.

[gimama]

4. from Common Dreams:"US Embassy to double staff by 2012"

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/04/02-0


Bring the Troops HOME.

[Cali_Democrat]

8. Thanks for that link.

Very interesting article. Can we still call it an embassy? LOL.

[golfguru]

5. 769 US military bases around the world!

You would think we have budget surpluses every year!

Instead we are borrowing money from China to fight in Libya to
protect oil imports to China from Libya. How stupid!

[BklnDem75]

6. That's explains why China don't support the NFZ!

:crazy:

[tekisui]

7. We've been predicting that for years. I never believed we would be out

by the end of the year.

[tekisui]

10. They have 9 months to get 47,000 out by the deadline Obama ran on.

[Logical]

11. Still possible! n-t

[Cali_Democrat]

13. Does that 47,000 figure include US paid contractors and mercenaries?

[avaistheone1]

14. That's the BIG question.

[tekisui]

15. Nope.

[Exilednight]

16. No. This was the bait and switch in the Obama plan. He pulled out

tens of thousands of combat troops and replaced them with military contractors. They don't get counted in any official government number, whether it be in death tallies, boots on the ground, or any other measurable aspect.

[and-justice-for-all]

17. FAIL..nt

[golfguru]

18. Have we brought troops home from Germany? Okinawa? Korea?

I have had it with American obsession over maintaining military bases
in hundreds of other places abroad. You would think we have huge budget
surpluses every year.

We are exactly on the same path as the Roman Empire. Who said History repeats
itself? Or..if you ignore history you will be doomed to repeat it?

And now a new front is opened...in Libya.