President Signs Legislation Committing U.S. to Iraq Withdrawal (December 31, 2011)

[The Straight Story]

President Signs Legislation Committing U.S. to Iraq Withdrawal


Date Affirmed as December 31, 2011, Quarterly Reports to Congress Required

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Barack Obama today
signed legislation that that formally recognizes the U.S. obligation to
withdraw from Iraq and requires the Pentagon to provide quarterly reports on
the progress of that withdrawal.

This is the first time since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 that Congress has
passed legislation that affirms that the United States is committed to leaving
Iraq by a specific date, two national Quaker organizations, the American
Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and the Friends Committee on National
Legislation (FCNL) said today.

"We congratulate Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin and House Armed
Services Chairman Ike Skelton for including this important milestone in the
2010 military authorization bill," said Aura Kanegis, Director of Public
Policy for the American Friends Service Committee. "The U.S.-Iraq bilateral
agreement is so central to public discourse in Iraq, but too often forgotten
in the U.S." The United States and Iraq signed a bilateral agreement in
November 2008 that commits the United States to withdraw all military forces
from Iraq by December 31, 2011.

The legislation signed by President Obama today requires the Pentagon to
report to Congress every three months on progress to withdraw all U.S. troops,
withdraw or transfer to Iraqi authorities all military equipment, close down
or transfer to Iraqi authorities military bases, and release or transfer to
Iraqi authorities all Iraqi detainees before the December 31, 2011 deadline.

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS259434+28-Oct-2009+PRN20091028

[pinto]

1. Kick.

:kick:

[Sinistrous]

2. I'll take it,

Even though I wish the date were earlier.

[bigtree]

3. well

alright then