US-Iraqi task force to decide on US troop exit

BAGHDAD –– US and Iraqi authorities are to set up a body to decide on the crucial question of how and when US troops will hand over security in the war-torn country to Iraqi forces, the US embassy said Sunday.

The new joint task force will meet next week and report to Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari on handover plans in 60 days, US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said in a statement.

"The joint task force will establish criteria and conditions that will help determine when Iraqi security forces ... will be capable of assuming full responsibility to secure Iraq," the new ambassador said.

US President George W. Bush has refused to set a timetable for the withdrawal of the 138,000 US forces from Iraq, but has said that US forces would stand down as Iraqi forces gradually take over.

"The handover will start with cities which fulfill the conditions," said a senior Iraqi official who declined to be named, without saying what the conditions were.

"This task force will establish no timeline; but, instead, identify conditions sanctioned by the leadership of the Iraqi government and the multi-national coalition," said Khalizad.

"As these conditions are met, transfers of security responsibility will be implemented progressively and noticeably to the Iraqi people," Khalilzad added.

The joint task force will be headed by Jaafari's national security advisor Muwaffaq Rubaie, and will including representatives from coalition forces, as well as from the Iraqi interior and defence ministries.

Another four joint task forces will also be set up to deal with budgetary issues, reconstruction efforts, infrastructure protection, and detainees.

We're still in Germany, Korea, Haiti & Yugoslavia. There is no uproar about that.

We should stay as long as our enemies are still fighting back.

In war, the enemy always has a vote.

"In war, the enemy always has a vote."

...sounds like someone has read Tommy Franks a bit, good stuff. When I hear a defeatist/whiner/loser say "exit strategy, I refer them to Tommy Franks' book and tell them the exit strategy is included for the same price--they are not interested in truth, it's all about losing and defeating their own countrymen--and I am about defeating them, unconditionally. The Leftists in this country are NOT my countrymen, they are the enemy.

4 posted on 07/24/2005 11:43:17 AM PDT by brushcop (We lift up Pvt. Johnny Chrzenowski in prayer, recovering from burns received in an RPG ambush, Iraq.)

I took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America from all enemies; foreign and domestic.

I know who the domestic enemies are...they are calling for defeat, surrender and the rights of our enemies at every turn of American history since the Korean war. And they know who they are.

I a not a Bush-bot. I have my issues with George on too much spending, the increase of the size of government, the open borders, trade with China...but on the war in Iraq he is dead on.

You and I see eye to eye on those things, I also agree with your "Bush-bot" statement as well. Good conservatives will speak up when their own people don't do what they are supposed to do, that's how we make progress.

When I've been called to contribute to the RNC, I've told them no more money until they start acting like winners and go down the list you just stated. The ladies on the other end have been very supportive, they always say (so far), "We are hearing a LOT of the same thing, you are not alone". Pretty encouraging.

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