But, but...combat is over?

[Si modo]

Despite formal combat end, US joins Baghdad battle


Sep 5, 4:52 PM (ET)

By BARBARA SURK


BAGHDAD (AP) - Days after the U.S. officially ended combat operations and touted Iraq's ability to defend itself, American troops found themselves battling heavily armed militants assaulting an Iraqi military headquarters in the center of Baghdad on Sunday. The fighting killed 12 people and wounded dozens.

It was the first exchange of fire involving U.S. troops in Baghdad since the Aug. 31 deadline for formally ending the combat mission, and it showed that American troops remaining in the country are still being drawn into the fighting.

The attack also made plain the kind of lapses in security that have left Iraqis wary of the U.S. drawdown and distrustful of the ability of Iraqi forces now taking up ultimate responsibility for protecting the country.

....

The number of U.S. troops has fallen from a high of 170,000 to just under 50,000 this August; all U.S. troops must be out of Iraq by 2012.

The remaining American soldiers have a noncombat role and mostly assist Iraqis in stabilizing the country. However, U.S. forces can still help Iraqi forces hunt down al-Qaida and other militants and can defend themselves or their bases against attacks.

Insurgents have intensified their strikes on Iraqi police and soldiers to mark the change in the U.S. mission.

....

Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Rebecca Santana and Hamid Ahmed contributed to this report.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100905/D9I204T00.html

[Emphasis added]

Yup, brilliant idea letting the world know of our plans.

Just freakin' brilliant.

 

[California Girl]

When it comes to the job of POTUS, Obama has taught us one thing. Never send a boy to do a man's job.

 

[Kalam]

It was doomed to fail like this from the beginning. Obama made the mistake of trying to peel the bandage off slowly rather than all at once. It hurts more the first way.

 

[Si modo]

When it comes to the job of POTUS, Obama has taught us one thing. Never send a boy to do a man's job.

The politicians whined and whined about Iraq. And because of that, politicians ended up not only making military decisions against military experts' advice, but fucking announcing them?

What the hell. Morons.

 

[Si modo]

It was doomed to fail like this from the beginning. Obama made the mistake of trying to peel the bandage off slowly rather than all at once. It hurts more the first way.

Reality check, Kalam.

Troops may be gone eventually, but not the contractors.

In spite of your lust for blood.

 

[Mini 14]

When it comes to the job of POTUS, Obama has taught us one thing. Never send a boy to do a man's job.

You really shouldn't call him a "boy."

 

[Greenbeard]

Yup, brilliant idea letting the world know of our plans.

If only he had run on a secret plan for peace. Because that wouldn't have earned him any derision.

Why do we keep trying to export a form of government that so many people here seem to despise so much?

 

[California Girl]

When it comes to the job of POTUS, Obama has taught us one thing. Never send a boy to do a man's job.

You really shouldn't call him a "boy."

It is a word. I am not afraid of a word. The context is clear.

 

[California Girl]

It was doomed to fail like this from the beginning. Obama made the mistake of trying to peel the bandage off slowly rather than all at once. It hurts more the first way.

Yea, what we should have done was to pull everyone out - preferably having announced it to the world months in advance - to give the enemies of Iraq plenty of time to prepare.... and just left them to implode. Great. Really. Excellent strategy.

Moron.

 

[Si modo]

Politician 1: Hey, let's just say over and over that combat is over.

Politician 2: Yeah, that's the ticket.

Politician 3: But we better let the masses know that the combat is over so that we can win an election.

Politicians 1 and 2: Definitely. Who cares about any danger to remaining troops and contractors? We need to win our jobs and perks.

 

[mudwhistle]

It was doomed to fail like this from the beginning. Obama made the mistake of trying to peel the bandage off slowly rather than all at once. It hurts more the first way.

Problem with Obama is he wants everyone in the Universe to watch him peel the bandage off.

 

[mudwhistle]

When it comes to the job of POTUS, Obama has taught us one thing. Never send a boy to do a man's job.

You really shouldn't call him a "boy."

Sometimes he acts like one.

Obama is afraid of pissing off Muslims. That's his major flaw. To them he is a boy.

They respect strength and all he shows them is weakness....like a boy or a woman would show. At least that is what they're thinking.

 

[mudwhistle]

Yup, brilliant idea letting the world know of our plans.

If only he had run on a secret plan for peace. Because that wouldn't have earned him any derision.

Why do we keep trying to export a form of government that so many people here seem to despise so much?

Because it seems to work.

The problem with Obama is he can't resist taking credit or using a crisis to his advantage.

He sets himself up for derision because of this penchant.

 

[xotoxi]

Yup, brilliant idea letting the world know of our plans.

Just freakin' brilliant.

Do you think we could have kept it a secret?

 

[Kalam]

It was doomed to fail like this from the beginning. Obama made the mistake of trying to peel the bandage off slowly rather than all at once. It hurts more the first way.

Reality check, Kalam.

Troops may be gone eventually, but not the contractors.

In spite of your lust for blood.

They'll all be gone eventually. The ones who started this war were the ones lusting for blood, not me.

 

[Kalam]

It was doomed to fail like this from the beginning. Obama made the mistake of trying to peel the bandage off slowly rather than all at once. It hurts more the first way.

Yea, what we should have done was to pull everyone out - preferably having announced it to the world months in advance - to give the enemies of Iraq plenty of time to prepare.... and just left them to implode. Great. Really. Excellent strategy.

Moron.

Oh, look -- insults in place of an actual argument. How quaint.

 

[Si modo]

Yup, brilliant idea letting the world know of our plans.

Just freakin' brilliant.

Do you think we could have kept it a secret?

Irrelevant. Announcing it for all the world to see ahead of time gave insurgents ample time to plan. Now 12 are dead and dozens wounded.

Does anyonereally think that allowing enemies to know your troops' movements is a good idea? Anyone?