So... When is Obama going to end the war?

mnk007 said:

Tomorrow maybe. Technically it's not a real war in some politicians heads, so maybe never! =[

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ElBarto said:

I think you're going to have to wait at least until Jan 20.

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ViRedd said:

If ending the "war" means ending the occupation of Iraq, we will be waiting a hell of a long time. We are building a giant facility in Iraq to house our embassy and our troops. Afganistan is next ... then???

Vi

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chuckbane said:

Lets build some homeless shelters instead.

Maybe some schools and hospitals.

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VTXDave said:

Wall St. and the auto makers are first in line. Since Obama voted for the Wall St. bailout, I don't think shelters, schools, and hospitals are high on his list unfortunately.

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tipsgnob said:

it's not like obama can flip a switch and the war is over. we have got a bunch soldiers and equipement there. it will take a while, I would hate to be the last guy out...

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VTXDave said:

Wall St. and the auto makers are first in line. Since Obama voted for the Wall St. bailout, I don't think shelters, schools, and hospitals are high on his list unfortunately.

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ViRedd said:

Face it Libbies ... our presense will be felt in the Middle East for generations to come. Obama will not bring the troops home. Again ... we are building a massive complex in Iraq to house our embassy and four permanent U.S. military bases.

Vi

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Iraq's Cabinet yesterday overwhelmingly accepted a plan to end the U.S. military presence in Iraq by the end of 2011 and sent it on to Parliament for approval, where it faces a fight from lawmakers who consider it a sellout to the Americans.
The Status of Forces Agreement was expected to be presented to the 275-seat national legislature today for the start of what likely will be contentious debate. Lawmakers are under pressure to vote on it by Nov. 25, when they plan to leave to attend the Hajj in Saudi Arabia. The agreement will replace the U.N. mandate expiring Dec. 31 that gives U.S. forces the legal basis for being in Iraq.
While the Cabinet approval marked a victory of sorts for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who wrung several concessions from the United States during months of negotiations, it also puts him on a collision course with some Shiite and Sunni Muslim lawmakers who strongly oppose the deal. Among them are followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has threatened to call his Mahdi Army militia back to war against the United States to derail the pact, and Sunni parliamentarians who said the pact should be voted on in a public referendum.
The pact calls for American forces to pull out of Iraqi cities by the end of June and fully withdraw from Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011.
After lengthy negotiations, the U.S. also agreed to promise not to raid or attack neighboring countries from Iraq, not to search Iraqi homes or make arrests without Iraqi approval, and to drop demands for total immunity for U.S. forces accused of wrongdoing in Iraq.
Despite the compromises, al-Sadr rejects the pact because he wants U.S. forces to leave Iraq when the U.N. mandate ends and opposes any agreement letting them stay longer. Leaders of Iraq's minority Sunni population say the plan is too important not to be voted on by the public.
The country's most influential Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, indicated during the weekend that he would not oppose the latest draft. Sistani's word carries immense weight with Iraq's Shiite majority and should help fellow Shiite al-Maliki navigate the choppy waters that might result from al-Sadr's opposition and from neighboring Iran, said Vali Nasr, an expert on Middle East politics at Tufts University.
"I think al-Maliki had to get the deal that would satisfy Sistani," said Nasr. "From the outset he is the one who mattered and is the only one who can stand up to Iran and al-Sadr's opposition."
Iran, like al-Sadr, had said U.S. forces should leave Iraq when the U.N. mandate expires.
"This will be an adventure," said Omar Abdul Sattar, a Sunni legislator, summing up his prediction for the Parliament debate. In addition to political resistance, Sattar said time constraints on lawmakers will make reaching consensus difficult.
The Cabinet approval came after a two-hour meeting presided over by al-Maliki, who urged passage after concluding he had won all he could from Washington.
"They decided it's the best we could get," said Khudair Khuzai, the Shiite education minister, of the 27 Cabinet ministers who raised their hands in favor of the plan.
Khuzai said he would prefer to see a quick exit of foreign troops from Iraqi soil but was satisfied with wording that mandates the departure of American forces from Iraqi cities by the end of June 2009, and a full withdrawal from the country by Dec. 31, 2011.

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chuckbane said:

they should give all their guns to the civilians and let them reclaim their land.

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strangerdude562 said:

The plan is to be out of there by 2011. Obama introduced a very strategic plan to get out by 2011 a year ago and everyone said it's a stupid idea and it would never work. This September Bush adopted Obama's plan and is now in effect. Starting Jan1,2009 the military will have many guidelines to follow under the Iraqi government which would make it difficult to have operations in the country, such as military personell being tried in an Iraqi court If any war crimes are commited. There are many rules that will have to be followed beginining in 2009 which makes it really inconvinient to operate.

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