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Maliki backs Obama's exit plan

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Anonymous

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Iraq's Maliki backs Obama's exit plan
Posted July 19, 2008 11:19 AM


by Frank James

Who could blame President Bush or Sen. John McCain for privately fuming right about now since Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has just delivered a big gift with a bow on top to Sen. Barack Obama by embracing his 16-months timetable for withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq.

Maliki said as much in an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel. Here is the relevant excerpt:

SPIEGEL: Would you hazard a prediction as to when most of the US troops will finally leave Iraq?

Maliki: As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned. US presidential candidate Barack Obama is right when he talks about 16 months. Assuming that positive developments continue, this is about the same time period that corresponds to our wishes.

SPIEGEL: Is this an endorsement for the US presidential election in November? Does Obama, who has no military background, ultimately have a better understanding of Iraq than war hero John McCain?

Maliki: Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic. Artificially prolonging the tenure of US troops in Iraq would cause problems. Of course, this is by no means an election endorsement. Who they choose as their president is the Americans' business. But it's the business of Iraqis to say what they want. And that's where the people and the government are in general agreement: The tenure of the coalition troops in Iraq should be limited.

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For Bush the message seems clear. Don't fall in love with Iraqi premiers; they won't love you back.

Maliki is clearly doing what he feels he must for his domestic audience which has a love-hate relationship with the U.S. military. On one hand, they welcome the U.S. military's ability to beat back Iraqi insurgents and foreign terrorists.

But the U.S.'s presence in Iraq is also an affront to Iraqi nationalism and viewed as an occupation by many Iraqis, a necessary evil whose end is devoutly wished for by many Iraqis, according to many reports.


http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/07/iraqs_maliki_backs_obamas_exit.html
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Interestingly the news was reporting- that while they were not allowed to poll military servicemen- the polls they did on the bases with the families of military servicemen showed overwhelming support of Obama...

It seems he has picked up much of the support Ron Paul had before he ended his campaign....


Obama Visits With Troops in Afghanistan

Saturday, July 19, 2008 8:00 AM

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A U.S. military spokesman says that U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is visiting troops in eastern Afghanistan.

Staff. Sgt. David Hopkins says Obama and two other senators are making a brief stop in Jalalabad airfield, in eastern Nangarhar province. Hopkins says that Obama is meeting with soldiers.

Obama is making his first trip to the scene of a war that he says deserves more attention and more troops.

The Illinois senator flew in as part of an official congressional delegation, but the Afghan visit was rich with political implications.

Afghanistan is facing a resurgent Taliban insurgency nearly seven years after the U.S.-led invasion of the country toppled the militant movement from power.
http://www.newsmax.com/international/obama_afghanistan/2008/07/19/114368.html
 

fff

Well-known member
Obama has been the top Democratic receiptant of campaign donations from military members. I think Ron Paul was the choice among Republicans. They didn't have much in common except their stand against the war in Iraq. That should tell us something about how military memebers and their families feel about the war in Iraq.
 
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Anonymous

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fff said:
Obama has been the top Democratic receiptant of campaign donations from military members. I think Ron Paul was the choice among Republicans. They didn't have much in common except their stand against the war in Iraq. That should tell us something about how military memebers and their families feel about the war in Iraq.

Yep-- I had even thought I was letting these nutty neocons get to me- losing my Libertarian views and becoming liberal-- until I read an article and found out that most of the Libertarians that were supporting Ron Paul changed their support over to Obama..(They don't like Barr- think he's still more Repub than Libertarian- same feeling I got)....

And the number one issue was they support Obama's foreign policy much more than this new neocon Republicanism and McCains- they don't think we should be nation building, nor telling the rest of the world they have to live like us- and playing policeman of the world....

Secondly most Libertarians, like myself, are quite socially liberal- and don't think government should be policing bedrooms-nor saying who they can or cannot sign into lifetime contracts with- nor telling people what medical procedures they should have- nor telling science what science to practice- nor not allowing people the choice to die with dignity....

And since most Libertarians don't think McCain nor Republicans are very fiscally conservative (history of Bush and past Republican controlled Congress)- they figure that issue is a toss up - except they believe that Obama will put much more into supporting America first and building the infrastructure of our own country, rather than "I'm the biggest freetrader ever" McCain who has already said he doesn't care if we pour $Billions into Iraq for 100 years....

The other issue scaring them of McCain- who they see as a second Bush is the fact that Ron Paul made such an issue of (and is now driving his Revolution on)- the usurption of the Constitution and violation of laws that Bush, rubberstamped by the Repub controlled Congress, did...McCain is seen as just more of the same....
 
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