Obama Announces Withdrawal Of All Troops From Iraq By August 2010
Over the last few years the debate over the war in Iraq has focused around how it should end. Proponents of the war felt that it should end based on conditions on the ground. Rather than abandoning the country on some arbitrarily-set date, they felt the war should be ended once Iraq was able to defend itself and maintain its own stability. Liberals like Obama, on the other hand, felt the war should end immediately. That it was a lost cause, and that the troops should be brought home as soon as possible regardless of the situation that left the Iraqis in.
Now that Obama has won the election he can finally institute his firm deadline for withdrawal. But what’s funny is that the deadline for withdrawal really isn’t going to be all that controversial.
Because while Obama and his fellow liberals were arguing over how best to force a retreat from the country, Bush and military leaders like General David Petraeus went ahead and won the war rendering the entire debate moot.
The United States will withdraw most of its troops from Iraq by August 2010, 19 months after President Barack Obama’s inauguration day, according to administration officials who expect Obama to make the announcement this week. . . .
The U.S. military would leave behind a residual force, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, to continue advising and training Iraqi security forces. Also staying beyond the 19 months would be intelligence and surveillance specialists and their equipment, including unmanned aircraft, according to two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not been made public. . . .
The 19-month strategy is a compromise between commanders and advisers who are worried that security gains could backslide in Iraq and those who think the bulk of U.S. combat work is long since done.
Frankly, I’m on board with this plan. Not because I think Obama’s making the right decision (he’s still making a politically expedient one), but because it almost doesn’t matter what Obama does.
I think a total abandonment of the country would be irresponsible, but leaving troops in the country to facilitate on-going training is appropriate. Really, there’s not much for proponents of the war to be upset about here.
Obama may be heralded by his sycophants on the left and in the media for “ending the war,” but the truth is that Bush won the war before Obama even took office.
