Posted on 07/19/2008 5:12:50 PM PDT by markomalley
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told a German magazine that he supports Barack Obama’s plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office.
The apparent endorsement of a cornerstone of Obama’s foreign policy drew swift praise from the Obama camp. But the White House stressed that any timelines are contingent on “security gains” in the region.
“U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes,” al-Maliki told the magazine Der Spiegel. He said he wants U.S. troops to leave “as soon as possible.”
The comments come ahead of Obama’s scheduled meeting with al-Maliki. Obama, who is touring both Afghanistan and Iraq for the first time since becoming a presidential candidate, arrived Saturday in Afghanistan, where he is meeting with U.S. troops.
“Senator Obama welcomes Prime Minister Maliki’s support for a 16 month timeline for the redeployment of U.S combat brigades,” Obama foreign policy adviser Susan Rice said in a statement Saturday. “This presents an important opportunity to transition to Iraqi responsibility, while restoring our military and increasing our commitment to finish the fight in Afghanistan.”
Al-Maliki said for the first time earlier this month that the U.S. military should work toward a timetable for withdrawal — something President Bush and Obama’s rival John McCain oppose. The White House also reported Friday that Iraq and the United States are discussing a “general time horizon” for reductions in troop levels.
Both developments gave Obama fuel in his argument that U.S. involvement in Iraq soon must draw to a close. But al-Maliki’s comments to Der Spiegel seemingly were the deepest the foreign leader has waded into the tense foreign policy debate between the two major presidential candidates.
(Excerpt) Read more at elections.foxnews.com ...
If this story is accurate (and that is a big if), then I truly mourn for the troops' sacrifice over there.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2048159/posts?page=38
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/19/maliki-obamas-16-month-timetable-sounds-good
Getting played by the media. There’s no time table. Maliki agrees only in principle that at some point a withdrawal should happen...when the conditions are right.
Somebody is doing way too many recreational drugs. When did "as soon as possible" become 16 months?
gotta link?
The Germans are doing everything they can to get Obama elected. I hope no one attacks them while he is in office, because Obama won’t be much help I’m afraid.
This is nonsense, although Obama is busy about jumping to the head of the parade, trying to say that Bush’s plan had been his plan all along.
He wants a weak President so he can get away with anything he wants IMO.
You are right..this is ridiculous.
Of course Malaki is going to say that!! His country doesn’t want us there longer than we need to be..and he has to be political about not being a puppet of the US,
America would like to be out of Iraq in 16 months, too. I would like to be out in 16 months. I’m sure the troops would love to be done with Iraq in 16 months.
All of the above is true.
Maliki will reassess with everyone else if his government is not yet secure. He left that open-ended.
“As soon as possible” does not mean “immediately.” The trouble with translating such a line is that the words don’t literally mean what the phrase has come to mean.
Fellow muslims supporting each other.
And now Drudge is running the Headline that some WH staffer hit the wrong button on his keyboard and sent this story in email form to the Press Corp by mistake?
Ya, Ok ~ http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/07/white-house-acc.html
Here’s my take ~ The Bush Administration, by way of making their little “mistake”, which you state Maliki has already denied, now forces Maliki into clarification on this while BO has the world audience and their attention. (Unless they are watching American Idol reruns or something).
I refuse to believe that GWB will hang his soldiers out to dry like that. He honors their sacrifice, and will Complete the Mission.
JMHO
(Would be a nice plan, if that’s the case.)
al-Maliki’s statement that 16 months seems about right is as close to an endorsement of Obama as any foreign leader is going to go. The political impact of al-Maliki’s statement will be huge.
It is serious political capital for the Obama campaign.
Doesn't matter, the fascist have spoken. The correction will get next to no notice. Dems know how to play this manipulative game all too well. 60% of Americans are idiots.
Too much to hope Americans will realize Obama is running for the AMERICAN presidency and getting the other side in negotiations to agree with him is not an accomplishment?
Ran across Fox News Ticker.
He even looks like Pee Wee now that I think of it.
Typical of the new and improved FNC. Never verify, but if it’s good for Obama then run with the story.
People, People come now... Drawing down some of the emassed troop strength in Iraq has always been the plan... When conditions on the ground, in country warranted it and guess what.... If the conditions warrant it then the SURGE WAS A SUCCESS... You cannot walk around and say I would have pulled the troops out of Iraq in 06 and the success would still be there today.... The issue has never been about the number of troops in Iraq the issue has always been about victory ... Think tactics, think from a military perspective... Drawing our troops down is a victory for George W. Bush it means Iraq is stable and isn’t that the Goal?
That is really a great pic!!
Stay out of our election Maliki.
If terrorists overthrough his government it would be what he deserved.
Eventually these people will have to grow a backbone.
That thought crossed my mind as well....Wait, oh yeah, Obama's not a Muslim,...nevermind....
Obama’s arrogance even surpasses that of cornerstone Dems like Pelosi, travelling abroad and making premature foreign policy she has no business or authority to make.
He is now engaged in a transparent attempt to show America just how popular he is across the world, but it’s all spin.
The rest of the world’s leaders are ambivalent at best about him, except in the Muslim world. This is indeed very strange strategy, and it is bound to backfire on him/
I hope his handlers and advisers are as arrogant as he is, and don’t see it coming, and keep telling him it’s OK to do what he’s doing/
I don’t know why America is even going to have an election. Obama has already made plans for a basketball court, troop pullout time table, negotiating with terrorist nations, making plans for a private army, and all kinds of work ups.
McCain is setting back and trying to be a laid back President of the U.S. and the U.S. can not have a Pres. that doesn’t have some type or pickup about them. Obama and others act as though he has already been elected and only waiting for the turnover time.
It's been debunked by Maliki himself and others. It's just another Obamagasm by the media.
1. Besides 4-5% of the voters, mostly political junkies on the internet, no one is really paying attention to this story or many other political stories this early in the campaign.
2. Obama now has to admit that we have won the war in Iraq or at least he has to recognize that we have been greatly successful in crushing Al Qaeda terrorists and the terrorists allied with Iran. For him to do this means that he has admitted for being a defeatist and wrong for so many years.
3. Long before elections day arrives the majority of voters would have realized that our Victory in Iraq is due to President Bush strong leadership, the leadership of people like John McCain, and most of all the incredible professionalism and bravery of our US military. The majority of voters will never give Obama any credit for our Victory in Iraq and they will always see him as a defeatist who should never become President and Commander in Chief.
Mr. Maliki should be made aware that he is responding to the plans of Chauncey Gardiner.
Maliki can go Ph*ck a rope...Our men have died there...this POS, if he endorses Obama, can go to hell...
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