Posted on 09/15/2005 11:06:22 AM PDT by jmc1969
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Home-grown units could replace some of the foreign troops in Iraq by the end of this month but no timetable exists for a pullout of U.S.-led forces, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Thursday.
Talabani caused controversy last week when he first told the Washington Post the United States could withdraw as many as 50,000 troops by the end of the year and then aligned himself with President George W. Bush's view that a withdrawal deadline would only fan the insurgency.
Talabani repeated that Iraq did not want to set a timetable on any major withdrawals.
"We don't want to encourage the terrorists so they can oblige you or us to leave under the threat," he told a group od Danish reporters at the United Nations World Summit.
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
Hopefully, without reverting to Saddam-esque tactics, the Iraqi military will fight a less PC war against the terrorists.
What did he mean 'by the end of this month'? They already have in many places. This started happening almost a year ago.
They should worry about replacing the (foreign troops) Jihadis.
He does not say :
1) How many trained Iraqi soldiers are needed for a complete withdrawal of US troops to be feasible.
2) How many percent of these needed trained Iraqi soldiers there presently are.
Number 1 is crucial for our objective of eventually getting out of there.
Number 2 is crucial for determining how FAR WE ARE in meeting our goal of eventual total withdrawal.
Anybody have any figures anywhere ?
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