More than seven years after it began, the end may be near for the Iraq war. According to Vice President Joe Biden, who is managing the withdrawal, the administration’s goal of removing all combat forces by August is proceeding as planned. But Iraqi leaders have yet to form a government close to three months after a contentious election and violence is still simmering, raising the possibility that the situation could deteriorate. “It’s going to be painful; there’s going to be ups and downs,” Biden told the Washington Post. “But I do think the end result is going to be that we’re going to be able to keep our commitment.” Experts say that the drawdown is especially crucial given the escalating conflict in Afghanistan, which is seeing a surge in U.S. troops.
by fnord | May 27, 2010 · 7:59 am
U.S. on Pace to End Iraq War
Filed under President Barack Obama, WAR
Tagged as End war in Iraq, VP Joe Biden, withdraw U.S. troops
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Seven years later we are no better off than we were in the first place. In fact, we are worse off – IMHO.
When I think of how the Iraqi Prime Minister ran over to Iran to become best friends with Iran’s President while our soldiers were still in his country makes me just want to vomit.
And yet, even with all this evidence to the contrary, Republicans still keep up their drumbeat to bomb, bomb, bomb.
Have we learned nothing from the last 7 years of total waste?
The fact of the matter is that we broke the Pottery Barn rule, but as a country we cannot afford to pay for it.
Was Saddam a bad man? Hell yes! But at least he kept Iran in check and he was truly despised by the very people that attacked us on 9/11.
Saddam was a secular Muslim, and it the eyes of fundamentalist Muslims, there are few greater sins.
We made the mess, we destabilized a fragile mid-East balance and now all we can do is cut our losses and move on.
There is nothing else we can do.
Saddam was a horrible leader – no doubt. But if the US was to invade every country with a horrible leader – then why don’t we go after China?
So this moral reason that Bush and Republicans gave for invading Saddam was just a cover up.
I suspect there were several reasons Bush invaded Iraq and one was to show Daddy that Junior could take out Saddam.
Another possible reason, which I don’t hear discussed very much, is that Bush was actually doing the Saudis a favor by taking Saddam out.
Let’s not forget now – George W. shamelessly kissed and held hands with the Saudi King after 9/11. The entire Bush family has strong ties to Saudis. All the 9/11 hijackers but one was from Saudi Arabia but yet Bush decided to invade Iraq?
Will is right – Saddam was hated by his neighbors but they were also afraid of him. And we replaced him with a Prime Minister that runs to Iran’s president to lick his boots?
Bush and Republicans destabilized the MidEast region – in my opinion – and we will be paying that price for years to come.
And then Republicans still want to bomb, bomb, bomb?
Please, somebody get me a barf bag.
I think the goal of the neocons — for the U.S. to rule the world militarily — depended on destabilizing the mid-east, and their invasion of Iraq was simply one step in their plan.
Controlling the oil was also in the plan.
Can remember where, but I recall some GOP’ers recently calling for the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Iran.
Really?
That falls under the classification “really fucking insane.”
Pardon the language.
Clark, it was your buddy xxx who suggested that “tactical nuke” thingy repeatedly on tbtsnbn.
God, I hope that isn’t true, Ms. Pond. Nukes should never be used again. It opens up a whole new avenue of conflict.
It’s a bit like someone in a fist fight pulling a knife. What may have resulted in a black eye or split lip now is a matter of life and death.
It’s wrong.
Period.
Who can understand people who want to drop bombs and kill all the citizens? And they usually base their wish to drop the bomb on their belief that those they kill want to kill them so it’s just defense. Yeah, well, it makes them no better and no different than the ones they hate.
Why would anyone want to lower themselves like that and become what they abhor?
Or they simply turn it into a Holy War and then all hell will break loose.
I wonder what would happen if the Neocons finally reached their goal of word dominance and find they no longer need the Religious Righties?
Do the Religious Righties become the slaves or collateral damage?
Their collation was interesting, the R.R. needed the Neo-Cons for their Political knowledge of how to get things done. The Neo-Cons needed the R.R. for their voting numbers to get more Neo-Cons elected.
Both thought they could control the other and they did have a similar ideology bend.
The Unwashed masses were lacking a moral guidance and direction both blamed the idea that everyone should be free to express themselves and do what they thought was right.
But for the Neo-Cons it was that the masses needed to be controlled and to follow the commands of the elite Governing body.
For the R.R. it was God and his laws or as so defined by their elite governing body!
Neither. They’ll be what they always are.
Willing tools for the GOP!
Fnord, the people you speak of remind me of the asshole that assassinated Dr. Tiller.
They think they are saving innocent lives. But I think rarely is that true. No more than mr. asshole was right about assassinating Dr. Tiller.
Monday is the one year anniversary of that horrible, HORRIBLE day.
Saving innocent lives? These are the same people that are okay with sex perverts in their church pews but let’s just keep it hidden and covered up.
The trouble with abortion is that Roe v Wade brought it to the forefront and then we saw free-standing abortion clinics.
These hypocrit pro-lifers are perfectly fine with abortion as long as they do not have to see it in front of their eyes or to know what other procedure name an abortion can be called when performed in a hospital for those women with financial means.
Though not as bad as it once was I learned that it had not became all candy and flowers for the troops there.
I sensed that my son was not being totally forward with his news of how it was at the FOB.
I hint to the location and the general feelings of the people is that one of the building that was a part of the FOB. was the same building that Saddam’s sons were killed in.
The mortar attacks were a few times a week but never was that reported.
We could not be hearing that our troops were still under attack and still pull out could we?
We have to, Iraq was to step up and deal with it. We can’t be there forever.
And how is Iraq dealing with it? As we have seen previously, their Prime Minster al Malaki ran over and was Iran’s president’s BFF.
Is this really a better situation than when Saddam was in power?
We have to, Iraq was to step up and deal with it. We can’t be there forever.
There is another comparison to Vietnam huh?
What really burns my hide is during the health care reform debate all these Republicans who were Bush lovers and supported the Iraq War had absolutely no problem with spending billions of borrowed money for free health care for people we were invading but when it came to providing affordable health care and the access to health care insurance for Americans – these same self-professing ‘patriot’ Republicans balked and squawked and yelled up to high heaven that Obama is nothing but a dictator and a socialist.
What part of free health care for the Iraqi people is okay but not one reform is okay for Americans?
It is not a total explanation, shoot as if I ever understood the logic to begin with!
In a sense it is like the age old where have whole segments of Americans that go under fed, under educated and living in absolute poverty in places like west Virginia, many places in the rural South, even in States that are thought to be developed and a good place to live.
To acknowledge it is to admit we are not the greatest country on Earth.
Seriously it is part of the psyche, to ignore it is to feel better about the country… Out of sight…. Out of mind!