Iraqi Leaders Call for Military Exit Schedule

ap via foxnews.com ^ | November 22, 2005

[paudio]

CAIRO, Egypt — Leaders of Iraq's sharply divided Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis called Monday for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in the country and said Iraq's opposition had a "legitimate right" of resistance.

The final communique, hammered out at the end of three days of negotiations at a preparatory reconciliation conference under the auspices of the Arab League, condemned terrorism, but was a clear acknowledgment of the Sunni position that insurgents should not be labeled as terrorists if their operations do not target innocent civilians or institutions designed to provide for the welfare of Iraqi citizens.

[paudio]

Great. Hopefully Bush and Rice don't cave in. Nobody wants the US military to be there forever. Calling for time table only make enemy happy to wait until their time arrives.

[conservativecorner]

This is their way of saying thanks? You can't trust arabs or muslims, and this makes that point crystal clear.

[Rennes Templar]

"... insurgents should not be labeled as terrorists if their operations do not target innocent civilians or institutions designed to provide for the welfare of Iraqi citizens."

It appears terrorists appeasers have infiltrated this "meeting".

[Dark Skies]

Leaders of Iraq's sharply divided Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis called Monday for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in the country and said Iraq's opposition had a "legitimate right" of resistance.

Oh, this must be the Murtha plan. When we pull out, this country will fall to islam. There is no reason to believer otherwise. If islam can insinuate itself into non-muslim (but democratic) Europe, Iraq will be a piece of cake.

[jmc1969]

This call is meaningless. The new Iraqi government put in place in December will make the call.

Almost all the parties before the January election were demanding a US pullout, then after they get elected the asses notice it means their head if the US leaves so they want us to stay. Politicians are self serving scum the world over.

[F.J. Mitchell]

They already have a timetable. What don't they understand about:"When the job is done"?

[conservativecorner]

"In Egypt, the final communique's attempt to define terrorism omitted any reference to attacks against U.S. or Iraqi forces. Delegates from across the political and religious spectrum said the omission was intentional. They spoke anonymously, saying they feared retribution."

"Though resistance is a legitimate right for all people, terrorism does not represent resistance. Therefore, we condemn terrorism and acts of violence, killing and kidnapping targeting Iraqi citizens and humanitarian, civil, government institutions, national resources and houses of worships," the document said.

So killing our men and women is acceptable as long as they don't target these other people and places? If so, bring the troops home today. Screw them and their shit hole country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jeff Head]

I have serious doubts about this report.

should not be labeled as terrorists if their operations do not target innocent civilians or institutions designed to provide for the welfare of Iraqi citizens

You mena like the hundreds and hundreds of innocent Iraqis killed at funerals, weddings, markets, etc.? You mean like the hundreds killed at their police stations, their judges and lawyers, their power plants, etc.?

This doucment itself is repleat with abject contradictions and fantasy.

The people fighting coalition forces ARE terrorists, plain and simple, and anyone with open eyes and hearts can see that in the rivers of the blood of innocents they have on their hands...they are shoulder deep in it.

[thelastvirgil]

>>This is their way of saying thanks?<<

No, this is their way of saying "We're going to settle a lot of scores as soon as its just us and the Sunnis."

[rhombus]

This will get WAY overplayed and spun as some sort of American retreat. Of course there have always been plans for a phased withdrawal beginning after the elections. The Democrats, knowing this tried to capitalize with the overhyped and mischaracterized Murtha pull-out-now "reversal". They would like nothing more than for people to think that they forced the issue when of course it was part of the plan all along.

[Fred911]

Looks like the Sunni's are getting their talking points directly from the the democrats.

[hawkaw]

In a way we are on a timetable but it is measured in voting and Iraqi troop strenght and capabilities rather than fixed dates for troops to leave.

The goal of the adminstration was to have elections on new interim governments, a constitution and now another election of a permanent government. The left said it would not happen but thanks to the troops it has. I can still remember reading all the doom and gloom that a new constitution would not get done but it did!

The other goal is to bring stability by way of building up the security forces. This should be completed in 2006 sometime. There has been some quiet handovers of area to Iraq forces that are very rarely talked about in the LSM. Thus, I expect a lot of troops home in 2006.

I think the administration does not want to give a fix date on INF troops taking over MNF responsibilities (unlike the elections) since things might get delayed due to a variety attacks going on in the theatre.

[kellynla]

BTTT

[conservativecorner]

Meaningless my arse. When none of them can define killing American Troops as terrorists, then the basturds can have their shit hole country back, and if we are attacked again, we take out whatever they hold as near and dear to their EVIL hearts!

[Issaquahking]

Your post reflects the reality of what needs to be done. It's a shame the future islamists left doesn't get it. The first rounds of a world war normally aren't recognized for what they are.

[savedbygrace]

Is there any relationship beteen the Iraqis who agreed to this document, and the Iraqi government? Were they sent by the government, or is this a separate group entirely?

[Dark Skies]

ping

[conservativecorner]

Hello? You are missing the point completely. It's the question of defining "terrorists" that should have you worried. Everyone already knows we aren't going anywhere soon, but this is unacceptable on the question of what constitutes a "terrorist". All 3 groups came up with this horse shit.

[facedown]

It appears terrorists appeasers have infiltrated this "meeting".

Incredibly, they were invited.

Shiites had been strongly opposed to participation in the conference by Sunni Arab officials from the former Saddam regime or from pro-insurgency groups.

[Steel Wolf]

Leaders of Iraq's sharply divided Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis called Monday for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in the country and said Iraq's opposition had a "legitimate right" of resistance.

That's fine. I'm not joking.

They may have a 'legitimate right' for Iraq's opposition to resist a foriegn military, but there is none such acknowledged to resist the Iraqi government. The U.S. presence has huge propaganda value for the insurgents, but we can take that away from them. If we withdraw to a few bases out in the desert, as we are basically planning on doing now, and leaving everything else to the Iraqis, then the fight between the foriegn invaders and the Arab resistance becomes a fight between Iraqi citizens and foriegn terrorists.

That's a horse of a different color, folks.

So, relax. There's nothing wrong with handing the country back to the locals. We don't want to occupy Iraq forver. If the political leaders feel they're ready for us to withdraw so they can take over, then I'm all for that. I know we keep saying 'all the terrorists have to do is wait', but that only works if there's nothing to replace us when we leave. The Iraqi military and police can deal with the terrorists just fine, when properly motivated, and will, once we get off their backs.

Besides, it's not like we're really leaving. We'll just be out of sight from the average Iraqi. They'll still benefit from our air power, special forces training, and logistical support, for a very long time. So, lets not be overly pessimistic about moving into the next phase.