Posted on 06/12/2014 9:48:55 PM PDT by matt1234
When in 2011 President Obama announced, against the advice of his commanders, the complete withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq, he grandly declared the tide of war is receding.
Two days later, his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, answered critics such as John McCain, who said the presidents announcement was a victory for Iran.
Said Mrs. Clinton: No one, most particularly Iran, should miscalculate about our continuing commitment to and with the Iraqis going forward.
This week these promises have been rendered hollow by the humanitarian and strategic crisis unfolding in Iraq. There, key northern cities have been falling to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an offshoot of al Qaeda.
The horrors we are seeing fulfill some of the worst fears of critics who had warned that leaving Iraq without a new status of forces agreement imperiled the gains bought with American blood and treasure.
--SNIP--
The presidents practice has been to blame his failures on his predecessor. But in Iraq, President George W. Bush did not hand over a mess. He handed over a victory that Obama only had to sustain.
All that the President has squandered in a humiliation for America, a vindication for al Qaeda, a gain for Iran and a catastrophe for long-suffering Iraqis caught in the violence.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Precisely. The Iraqis refused to legal immunity to US forces in Iraq as a part of the SOFA. This would have made them liable to Iraqi law and justice system for injuring Iraqis and damaging property.
Before we left there were already incidents of Sunni police units stopping US convoys, disarming the Personal Security Detail and beating them nearly to death. This was a well known and not infrequent occurrence.
Without a SOFA providing immunity for protecting themselves it would be absurd for US forces to have remained in Iraq. Even if they never left their bases during any crisis they’d be cutoff on their bases, requiring air resupply and legally liable for damages claims against them.
” a humiliation for America,”
A Perfect description of the Obozo Presidency.
The Kurds are holding their own, from what I’ve heard.
True, but The Obama Team really sucks at negotiating the price of lunch much less a SOFA.
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