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Iraq Points to Pullout in 2010
The Washington Post ^ | Tuesday, July 22, 2008 | Sudarsan Raghavan and Dan Eggen

Posted on 07/22/2008 12:33:09 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama conferred with senior Iraqi leaders, U.S. officials and military commanders Monday, as a spokesman for the Iraqi government declared that it would like U.S. combat forces to complete their withdrawal by the end of 2010.

The comments by spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh mark the second time in recent days that a senior Iraqi has endorsed a timetable for U.S. withdrawal that is roughly similar to the one advocated by Obama. Dabbagh suggested that a combat force pullout could be completed by the end of 2010, which would be about seven months longer than Obama's 16-month formulation.

Dabbagh made the statement after Obama's meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has faced pressure from the White House in recent days to clarify published comments that he supported Obama's 16-month plan.

Dabbagh said that his government is working "on a real timetable which Iraqis set" and that the 2010 deadline is "an Iraqi vision."

"We can't give any schedules or dates, but the Iraqi government sees the suitable date for withdrawal of the U.S. forces is by the end of 2010," he told reporters.

The White House responded quickly to Dabbagh's remarks, which along with Maliki's earlier comments have been a thorny political problem for an administration that has opposed attaching firm dates to troop withdrawals as it negotiates the future U.S.-Iraqi relationship.

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"We don't think that talking about specific negotiating tactics or your negotiating position in the press is the best way to negotiate a deal," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, suggesting that Dabbagh was responding to domestic pressure.

Obama's visit comes at a time when American troops levels, the timing of withdrawal and overall U.S.-Iraq strategy have become central issues in the U.S. presidential campaign, as well as in Iraqi politics.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2010; foreignpolicy; iraq; nobama; obama; propagandawingofdnc; pullout; wot

1 posted on 07/22/2008 12:33:09 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Earth to Americans! This is Obama interfering in a negotiation in a way that cannot possibly be in America’s best interest. Even if Obama is elected and he wants to withdraw by 2010, it is of no benefit to be locked in by an agreement in case more time is needed.


2 posted on 07/22/2008 12:35:58 PM PDT by Williams
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To: MinorityRepublican

Thanks to the surge. No thanks to Obama.


3 posted on 07/22/2008 12:36:28 PM PDT by Signalman
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To: MinorityRepublican

I got highway hypnosis after I read Washington Post.


4 posted on 07/22/2008 12:44:17 PM PDT by papasmurf
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To: FReepers
Graphics for the Battle Ahead:

 

Click on images for high-resolution/printable versions.

More to follow. Pass these on. Please let me know if the links go bad. Thank you.

5 posted on 07/22/2008 12:45:13 PM PDT by Boucheau
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To: MinorityRepublican
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama conferred with senior Iraqi leaders, U.S. officials and military commanders Monday, as a spokesman for the Iraqi government declared that it would like U.S. combat forces to complete their withdrawal by the end of 2010.

That's it then! All al-qaeda needs to do is hold out till then and then they can turn Iraq into another Islamic dictatorship!

I bet every terrorist America hater from Pakistan to Algeria cant wait for Obama to become president.

6 posted on 07/22/2008 12:49:27 PM PDT by mainestategop
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To: MinorityRepublican

Maybe he can get us a pullout date for Germany while he’s at it?? Since when is bringing the troops home=victory?

Pray for W and Our Troops


7 posted on 07/22/2008 12:53:07 PM PDT by bray (Drill Congress!!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Ali al-Dabbagh also agrees with Obama in favoring a bowel movement each day. Journalists traveling with Obama have, of course, provided the American people with Obama’s personal bowel movement schedule on a daily basis.


8 posted on 07/22/2008 1:24:22 PM PDT by Ben Hecks (Obama, I know Paul Shanklin....and you're no Paul Shanklin!)
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To: MinorityRepublican
I think this whole thing has been spun by the media to mean something different than what the Iraq leader actually meant. Obama wants to force the Iraq leadership to take over Iraq by an arbitrary deadline to withdraw troops no matter what the conditions on the ground. I think the Iraq leader does not agree with doing that. The Iraq leader is just being optimistic that the troops can be removed (not a deadline or time table, unlike Obama) by 2010 if things on the ground keep improving and Iraq gets its security force in place to take over. It is just an optimistic estimate by the Iraq leader. I doubt he meant that the US should remove the troops in 2010 even if the country will collapse. Therefore, the Iraq leader is not agreeing with Obama’s plan at all.
9 posted on 07/22/2008 2:25:27 PM PDT by HwyChile
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To: MinorityRepublican

That is more than 16 months. You lose BHO!


10 posted on 07/22/2008 3:43:17 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (Obama, keep the change!)
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