U.S. Kicked Out Of Iraq

Now the truth about Obama’s Friday (October 21, 2011) announcement about the Iraq war ending is beginning to come out. President Barack H. Obama announced that “After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over,” that troops would be coming home by year’s end. That is, IMHO, a serious strategic blunder. But Obama did not ask for my opinion, so U.S. troops will be leaving iraq. The primary effect of the announcement is to end any chance of a substantial U.S. troop presence in Iraq after the end of the year. It was an acknowledgment that Iraqis had refused to agree to a key U.S. condition for remaining American troops: immunity from Iraqi law, that any U.S. military forces to stay would have to be shielded from prosecution or lawsuits, that precipitated the announcement.

Nouri al-Maliki said, “When the Americans asked for immunity, the Iraqi side answered that it was not possible, The discussions over the number of trainers and the place of training stopped. Now that the issue of immunity was decided and that no immunity to be given, the withdrawal has started.” While it is true that some U.S. troops commit offenses, the vast majority do not. The hubris of Iraq and its people after the Hussein regime is breathtaking. After 4,478 killed and 33,169 wounded U.S. troops, not to mention the ouster of Hussein and his two sons, Iraq wants to provide its own security. And with Iran next door. Well, GOOD LUCK!

But back to Obama’s announcement. Richard Butrick at AmericanThinker states, “Prime Minister Maliki gives Obama the boot as White House spin meisters gin up face-saving rhetoric for Obama to recite. Obama then peddles their pablum about achieving ‘normalcy’ in relations with Iraq….” Says Obama, “”The end of war in Iraq reflects a larger transition.” “The tide of war is receding.” “On Jan. 1 [2012], the United States and Iraq will have a “normal relationship between sovereign nations, an equal partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect.” And we hear more from Senator John Kerry (D-MA), chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee: “The United States is fulfilling our agreement with an Iraqi government that wants to shape its own future.”

I must agree with Mr. Butrick, that Obama’s war ending announcement is just so Obama can save face.

But that’s just my opinion.