So then what are we still doing there?

Iraqis Condemn American Demands


Sides Negotiating U.S. Military Role

By Amit R. Paley and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, June 11, 2008; Page A01

BAGHDAD, June 10 -- High-level negotiations over the future role of the U.S. military in Iraq have turned into an increasingly acrimonious public debate, with Iraqi politicians denouncing what they say are U.S. demands to maintain nearly 60 bases in their country indefinitely.

Top Iraqi officials are calling for a radical reduction of the U.S. military's role here after the U.N. mandate authorizing its presence expires at the end of this year. Encouraged by recent Iraqi military successes, government officials have said that the United States should agree to confine American troops to military bases unless the Iraqis ask for their assistance, with some saying Iraq might be better off without them.

"The Americans are making demands that would lead to the colonization of Iraq," said Sami al-Askari, a senior Shiite politician on parliament's foreign relations committee who is close to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "If we can't reach a fair agreement, many people think we should say, 'Goodbye, U.S. troops. We don't need you here anymore.' "

Article continues here...

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Wow! The Iraqis throw us out and what does that do to Mister "we could be there 100 years?"

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Why do people gravitate to extremes? What makes the left attractive to some and the right attractive to others? From the middle you can see both sides well.

It all depends on which Iraqis you talk to.

You pander to the America-haters, of course you're going to hear a lot of "get the US out!"

The latest idiocy is that our detractors want our guys to stay on base unless called out by the Iraqis.

They make easier targets that way.

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Poor Spot! He was tired of being thought of as stupid. "I'm gonna join Mensa," he said to myself, "and then I'll be legally permitted to wear the society's insignia--a tattoo of a little map pin pushed into my flesh--and then everyone'll know that I'm not dumb at all!"
Spot Joins Mensa
by James "Kibo" Parry

Iraq is not S Korea nor is it Germany. McCain's comparison in his latest campaign speech is flawed.

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Why do people gravitate to extremes? What makes the left attractive to some and the right attractive to others? From the middle you can see both sides well.

Talk about putting the cart before the horse. It's just a way for the new Iraqi government to look like they have some substance and get people's minds off what everyone hopes is the last push to rid the country of internal opposition. Looks like they may have Iran in step with them, finally, now if they can just get rid of Sadir they may have something.