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Maliki Calls for a Timetable

Posted by DORIAN DE WIND in At TMV.
Jul 9th, 2008 | Comments

The media is abuzz with reports that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki wants a timetable for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from his country–some even say that Iraq wants U.S. troops out, period.

Well, I would not pay much attention to what Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says, or what the Iraqi people want.

After all, we are the liberators, the “installers” of democracy there, and we know exactly what is best for that country.

Why should we listen to what the Iraqi government or the Iraqi people want, when it comes to bringing our troops home–we didn’t even listen to our own people.

After all we have done for that country, we have every right to stay there for one hundred years, if we want to. To build and keep permanent bases there, if we wish to. To continue to fight the terrorists “over there” (the few to none in Iraq), as we said we would when we invaded that country.

After all, didn’t we break it? What is that saying, “you break it, you own it?”

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DLS

Those of us who see no need for inane, smart-assed responses to Maliki's demands simply note it and speculate how that will affect our withdrawal not only between now and November, but beginning next year.

D. E.Rodriguez

Would you classify Maliki's demands as "inane, smart-assed," too?

Neocon

Yes I would. He of all people in Iraq understand that his life is in the hands of the USA. The minute we pull out they will murder his hiney. He is playing politics with his own people.

However I see this as a great opening for the Bush Administration to sincerely begin phasing out troops now. After all we are being asked to leave. So lets leave. Take Obama;s thunder. Steal his show.

Makes sense to me. Hell the GOP cant hate Bush anymore then they do now. Mabey this will actually earn him a few more points on the way out the door.

D. E.Rodriguez

Neocon says, "Yes [he] would classify Maliki's demands as 'inane, smartt-assed', too"

Well, there is an easy solution to that, let's do what we always do with governments we don't agree with, let's replace Maliki with someone who agrees with us.

Neocon

let's do what we always do with governments we don't agree with, let's replace Maliki with someone who agrees with us.
reply

Isnt that what we do in America? We vote for people that agree with us.

runasim

I see some noses are out of joint because Iraqis dare to speak for Iraqis.
That would be funny, if it weren't so sad.

One thing that led to Maliki's demand for a timetane is that Iraq fears the US will use bases there to launch attacks on Iran or, possibly, other targets. Our reputation for starting wars is coming home to roost.

We wanted to establish a sovereign nation in Iraq, and it looks like we're succeeding. Sovereign nation does not equal puppet nation.

Jim_Satterfield

At least one possible reason for this coming up that I've read about is Al Sistani putting his foot down about the "security agreement" that's been being negotiated and saying that the Americans can't stay that long. If this is the case and he went public with this then no, Maliki wouldn't be murdered right away and it is unlikely that Al Sadr would keep the kind of power base that he currently has if the perception was that Al Sistani and Maliki were responsible for the Americans leaving. This would also weaken the Iranian influence in Iraq somewhat.

Neocon

Dont fool yourself. This is the perfect time for Bush to make a graceful pull out and get some troops to Afghanistan instead.

He could take Obama's thunder while the GOP keeps hammering the Democrats on their 1970's energy talking points.

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