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.

[jveritas]

Just hold your knee jerk reaction. This right to resistance was a three words statements in a 5 pages document written in the Arabic language where twisting and playing on words is a common thing. The Iraqi government will not condone attacks on their troops or our troops, period. You are wrongly stating the Iraqi government is telling the terrorists OK go ahead attack US and Iraqi troops and that is not true at all.

PS: Communiques, speeches, and words, mean crap for Arabs.

[Unam Sanctam]

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.

So it's open season on American soldiers -- thanks a lot, Shiites and Kurds!

[rhombus]

Yup, I read your posts. I expect they'll have to do a lot of talking in the future and no doubt more stupid things will be said.

[Jeff Head]

See MY POST NUMBER 8

[Dark Skies]

The vast majority of Iraqis have no desire to wind up with a theocratic goverment like Iran.

I think I agree, but I haven't spoken with a vast majority with Iraqis so it would be presumption on my part of cast that point in stone.

However, keep in mind, Sharia will still be the highest authority (as spelled out in the Constitution) so there is no constitutional safeguard against an Iraqi-style theocracy. There is nothing to prevent hardline islamists such as Muqtada al Sadr from assuming a powerful role in the government and then pushing for the passing of laws which were the hallmark of the Taliban rule in Afghanistan (all they have to do is conform to Sharia).

My point ultimately is this. We (the west) have somehow come to the conclusion that democracy is the true antidote to Islam (and it might be)...but there is still a big IF. It sounds reasonable for western idealists who love democracy and freedom (I am one) to believe democracy will overpower islam, but there is no precedent.

If democracy fails to take hold in Iraq, we will have to go to plan B in the war against fundamental islam.

[ohioWfan]

Looks to me like this has nothing to do with the Iraqi government that will be functioning in December.

Hold the histrionics until you find out the full story behind this report. It says "Iraqi leaders".......and it's a leftist media report.

(i.e. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy are American 'leaders,' and Murtha is a 'hawk' according to the left).

I do so hate it when freepers overreact to MSM reports. It makes me wonder about them.....

[ohioWfan]

Bring them home!

Welcome to FR, Congressman Murtha.

[conservativecorner]

You are kidding me right? Knee jerk? If you had a family member over there, you wouldn't be throwing around the "knee jerk" nonsense I can assure you.

"You are wrongly stating the Iraqi government is telling the terrorists OK go ahead attack US and Iraqi troops and that is not true at all."

When you have the IRAQI PRESIDENT and other GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS attending a summit hosted by the Arab League, you don't think that their statements don't carry any weight? If so, you are very naive concerning middle eastern politics. I don';t give a rat's arse about whether it's three words or two words or one word when they say that killing an American soldier is acceptable if it's a "militant". Remember that there are no "terrorists" killing American soldiers any more. No, now we have "militants" who are fighting our occupation.

[Dane]

I do so hate it when freepers overreact to MSM reports. It makes me wonder about them....

Exactly, especially, after report, after report, after report, showing the MSM lies.

I guess some just live to be outraged and any MSM report is fine with them to fulfill that need.

[Noumenon]

While we're on the subject of accountabilty, the people who are supporting the anti-war Left have blood on their hands as well.

Now what was that we used to call aiding and abetting the enemy? Most Americans dare not speak its name.

[CDHart]

"... 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."

The Jordan bombings were a clear instance of targeting innocent civilians.

Carolyn

[jveritas]

I do not want to sound arrogant but I know more about Middle Eastern politics than most people on this forum because I was born and raised in Lebanon for 22 years and I lived there during the 15 years of civil war. I completely understand Arab mentality and thinking. This communiqué does not say at all that the insurgent terrorist groups have the right to attack US and Iraqi forces. They made a three word statement about “the right of people for resistance” they did not even mention the word resistance to occupation. In the Arab world people do a lot of lip service and that is one of them as simple as that.

[dubyawhoiluv]

meet with them, annouce the iraqi goverment in it's wisdom and undoubtbly fierce muslin fighters to support them will now protect you and bring our boys home PISS on all of them ; they are doing the same thing Karsi did after a unfortunate bombing incident, see how long these esteemed leaders will keep their heads after we are gone

[conservativecorner]

My concern is our fighting men and women. I have backed this JUST war from the beginning, so I don't need you throwing up one of your goofy signs. How frigging childish can you be? The point is that we have always had the backing of the Iraqi Govt. at every stage, and there was no disagreement concerning what constitutes a "terrorist".

Now the Iraqi Government says, remember all 3 groups took part, that it's OK for "militants", to kill American soldiers. If this change in stance by the powers that be in Iraq is allowed to stand,it's a slap in the face for not only the military but our countries prestige around the world as well.

I'm no Murtha, and you should realize the difference, but then again maybe I give you too much credit for thinking.

[No Blue States]

"The statement also demanded "an immediate end to arbitrary raids and arrests without a documented judicial order."

So what now, if we or the 211k strong ISF pinpoints a terrorist safe house we have to waste time on a sea of red tape before attacking them?

[ohioWfan]

I guess some just live to be outraged and any MSM report is fine with them to fulfill that need.

That's got to be it because it happens like clockwork.

[cake_crumb]

Don't worry about it. This is media manufactured hype.

The US and Iraqi leadership planned since the interim government was formed for the US to give Iraq a schedule for troop drawdown after the Constitution was ratified.

Murtha (D-PA) was well aware of this long before he went on air to demand the Bush administration do exactly what it was already in the process of doing. He even used the loose timeline by the DoD for "his" exit strategy.

It's their way of pulling defeat for the Bush administration out of victory in Iraq.

[T. P. Pole]

And from the full AP story:

Debate in Washington over when to bring troops home turned bitter last week after decorated Vietnam War vet Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., called for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, and estimated a pullout could be complete within six months. Republicans rejected Murtha's position.

"Republicans rejected Murtha's position." Yea, so did all but three of the democrats!!! No bias indeed!

[sit-rep]

After reading this, I say it was a mistake to liberate these animals(iraq). We need to take out al-quada, but screw the rest of the arabs. They're animals that will never become modern thinkers(as in modern aged man).

[ohioWfan]

Hey, W04Man...........this corner guy called your sign supporting the troops "GOOFY." Digging yourself deeper here, corner....

Repeating..........you don't have enough evidence to draw the conclusions you've drawn here. You're basing all your emotional outrage on an MSM report.

Settle down. Watch the election in December, and see what the Iraqi government does, and support the troops.

Calling for a premature end to their mission is NOT supporting them. My son was there for 15 months. I don't want his sacrifice, and the far greater sacrifice of those who have given their lives for this noble mission to have been wasted.

That's what you're calling for here. "Bring them home" means cutting and running. And our military will NOT do that.