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Democrats dismayed by Barack Obama's decision to leave 50,000 US troops in Iraq
The Times ^ | 2/28/2009 | Tim Reid in Washington

Posted on 02/27/2009 6:05:31 PM PST by bruinbirdman

President Obama announced the withdrawal yesterday of more than 90,000 US combat troops from Iraq by August next year but his decision to keep a force of up to 50,000 was attacked by leaders of his party as a betrayal of his promise to end the war.

Mr Obama's drawdown plan was even embraced by Republicans — including John McCain, his election opponent last year — but was criticised by anti-war liberals.

It was the latest of several moves by the President that have disappointed the Left, who had convinced themselves that he would end the US presence in Iraq at a stroke.

In a speech to Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, which addressed American diplomacy in the Middle East and the future of Iraq, Mr Obama declared: “Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end.”

Pentagon officials said Mr Obama had decided to pull out at least 92,000 of the 142,000 troops now there. Yet he announced, as he had promised on the campaign trail, a “transitional force” to train Iraqi troops, protect civilians and hunt down al-Qaeda.

It was the size of that force — between 35,000 and 50,000 — that dismayed many Democrats.

Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, was clearly upset, saying she could not see how 50,000 troops could be justified. Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate Leader, and Charles Schumer, another leading Senate Democrat, also expressed displeasure.

The strategy has been agreed on by Robert Gates, the Defence Secretary, General David Petraeus, the Middle East commander, and General Ray Odierno, the Iraq ground commander. President Obama also notified the former President, George Bush.

On the issue of Iraq, where the hard-fought gains have cost so many lives, Mr Obama can accept being

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: betrayal; bho44; brokenpromises; iraq; peaceniks; timetable; troopwithdrawal
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1 posted on 02/27/2009 6:05:31 PM PST by bruinbirdman
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To: bruinbirdman

2 posted on 02/27/2009 6:09:53 PM PST by Old Sarge ("Remember, remember, the Fourth of November, the Socialist treason and plot...")
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To: bruinbirdman

As I’ve been saying since I left Iraq in 2005 ....

.... the military will never give up Balad/Anaconda.


3 posted on 02/27/2009 6:11:48 PM PST by angkor
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To: bruinbirdman

It’s a bigger piece of pie than they expected.


4 posted on 02/27/2009 6:12:00 PM PST by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: bruinbirdman

You mean Obama’s plan is the same as Bush’s plan?

I feel this country is safer from Muslims with a moderate Muslim (Obama) in power over a Baptist preacher (Carter). There was a reason we extradited terror suspects to our enemies (Syria). Obama is still defending Bush’s policies in court.


5 posted on 02/27/2009 6:12:00 PM PST by WheresMyBailout
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To: bruinbirdman

I hope someone besides me noticed that in his speech at Camp LeJeune today he mentioned again that he wants to create a national civilian security force to ease the burden on our armed forces. What in the world is he talking about? He slips these crackpot ideas into speeches and the next thing you know, they show up in legislation and the Demorats in Congress pass it.

What is a national civilian security force?????


6 posted on 02/27/2009 6:12:42 PM PST by WestSylvanian
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To: WestSylvanian
What is a national civilian security force?????

Photobucket

7 posted on 02/27/2009 6:15:32 PM PST by digger48
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To: WestSylvanian
What is a national civilian security force?????

It runs the Gulag system. It is the Sword and Shield of the Party.

8 posted on 02/27/2009 6:17:00 PM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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To: bruinbirdman

Does it really matter? We have already been destroyed from within.


9 posted on 02/27/2009 6:19:17 PM PST by Lou Budvis ( 'Benjamin Franklin and Jefferson are rolling in their graves.')
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To: bruinbirdman

“Here the country had finally given liberals a war against fundamentalism and they don’t want to fight it. They would have, except it would put them on the same side as the United States.” - Ann Coulter


10 posted on 02/27/2009 6:19:30 PM PST by areukiddingme1 (areukiddingme1 is a synonym for a Retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer and tired of liberal BS.)
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To: bruinbirdman
If troops die, will the democrats start a countdown for Obama like they did for Bush? Will they show the coffins like they did for Bush? If the dead reach one thousand, will they make a big announcement like they did for Bush? Inquiring minds want to know.


11 posted on 02/27/2009 6:20:34 PM PST by shiva
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To: digger48

I thought so. All those millions who turn out for his speeches and pant and swoon over every word. They’re probably being measured up for uniforms right now.


12 posted on 02/27/2009 6:21:16 PM PST by WestSylvanian
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To: Lou Budvis

Those 50,000 troops should protect our borders and remove the illegal alien invaders. And why are we protecting the borders of South Korea while our own is unprotected?


13 posted on 02/27/2009 6:22:09 PM PST by apocalypto
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To: bruinbirdman

Leaving the supply clerks behind with no combat troops, the liberal brain is dangerous commanding our Military


14 posted on 02/27/2009 6:24:02 PM PST by Son House (National Disasters Will Be Devastating Since Mr. Øbama's Spending Will Erode First Response Funding)
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To: bruinbirdman

Then Darfur will come up about spring 2009


15 posted on 02/27/2009 6:29:00 PM PST by Son House (National Disasters Will Be Devastating Since Mr. Øbama's Spending Will Erode First Response Funding)
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To: WestSylvanian

I figure it’s either that, or he envisions thousands of young white kids being drafted and having whole platoons of them bussed around the country to clean up urban areas so they can be destroyed once again.


16 posted on 02/27/2009 6:29:31 PM PST by digger48
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To: bruinbirdman

I dare them question the pontus.


17 posted on 02/27/2009 6:32:36 PM PST by JamesA (He who hesitates is lost.)
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To: WestSylvanian
What is a national civilian security force?????

Actually, if Obama wasn't so stupid he'd realixe that we already have one - really two. The National Guard has been doing that job for 373 years. And the state and local police have been around for a long time too. Obama really wants a private KGB force to overcome obstacles to his socialization problems. Violate his carbon caps and the national police will be at your business. 1984 is here.

18 posted on 02/27/2009 6:45:25 PM PST by oldbill
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To: WheresMyBailout
I've said many times that our foreign policy under Obama is going to be no different than it was under Bush. If anything, we'll be even more assertive in using military force all over the world.

Having a semi-black Democrat named Barack Hussein Obama in the White House gives this country the political cover to do a lot of things that never would have been possible if the president were some middle-aged WASP.

19 posted on 02/27/2009 6:47:29 PM PST by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)
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To: WestSylvanian

a national (ci)villian security force is one comprised of Obummer’s thugs who will come to your house & take you out/ beat you up and throw you in their proposed “camps”-that’s when the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines , Seabees and the National Guard have all abdicated because they found out that POTUS is ineligible and has not produced his BC Long Form.


20 posted on 02/27/2009 6:53:17 PM PST by MissDairyGoodnessVT (Off Hunting--- for the COLB)
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