Some U.S. troops to stay in Iraqi cities past deadline, commander says

[Newsjock]

Source: CBC News

Despite a summer deadline to pull American combat troops from Iraqi cities, thousands will remain to support and train Iraqi forces, the top U.S. commander in Iraq confirmed on Saturday.

Gen. Ray Odierno said he expects troops operating alongside the Iraqis will remain "after the summer" in urban centres in joint security operations.

... Earlier in the week, an Iraqi government spokesman said the Baghdad government would be open to negotiations that would keep troops in Iraq past the agreed upon withdrawal date.

Ali al-Dabbagh, on a visit to Washington, said Iraqi security forces might need 10 years to get ready to take over from U.S. troops.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office said in a written statement Saturday that al-Dabbagh was expressing only an opinion that did not represent government policy.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/12/13/gates-iraq.html

[wtmusic]

1. 3 years, 10 years...we don't need to quibble

we're *only* losing a couple hundred soldiers a year now :eyes:

[theoldman]

2. Just think where we would be today if it had taken us

10 years to get ready in WWII. Am I reading this right; 10 years after the 5 years since this war started. When you were drafted in WWII you were shipped out after 90 days ready to fight. Something grossly wrong in Iraq.

[balantz]

3. The powers that be will find a way to do whatever the hell they want. n/t

[dipsydoodle]

4. Will they have their own trailer parks ?

Surely part of the deal was to hand the bases over.

[gratuitous]

5. An army of occupation in a (not quite) conquered land

Gee, I don't think there's anything that could possibly go wrong with that, is there?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

6. I thought Obama was going to pull them all out and stop this war of aggression.

[Arctic Dave]

7. Gathering up everyone guns and shipping them to Iraq is taking longer then expected.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

8. Must not have gotten to my state yet.

[Bandit]

9. Was that Obama that made this statement, or some soon to be ex Commander?

I think there are people that may just be speaking out of turn...I think some commander spouting off that we won't abide by the conditions of the withdrawel pact we just signed is just a bit uncalled for at this time...