The Iraq government, led by Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, said for the first time yesterday that it wanted to set a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from its territory.
The statement by Al-Maliki could pose a dilemma for President Bush, whose statements about Iraq have been controversial since the war began in 2003.
The Presidents initial rationing for invading Iraq was that Saddam Hussein was or could eventually become a nuclear and or biological threat to the American people, by his own means and ambitions. This soon evolved into the statement, proved to be false, that Mr. Hussein was in cahoots with Al-Qaeda and other terrorists groups, providing them a safe haven in his country. From there it went to our troops giving the Iraqi people a free country of their own, something he was opposed to while seeking the Presidency in 2000. Let’s not forget to mention the infamous “Mission Accomplished” statement and it’s immediate aftermath.
For parts of six long years American military personnel have been engaged in an occupation of a foreign land for no clear reason. Amid growing opposition to this continued military action by a majority of American citizens, as well as members of Congress, Mr. Bush has been steadfast in staying the course. With the construction of as many as 50 permanent bases in Iraq, it seems that the U.S. is gearing up for a long occupation in the country and region.
President Bush has not been shy in resisting a schedule for pulling America's 145,000 soldiers out, not including American Airmen and Sailors.
He has argued that it would play into the hands of insurgents. In 2006 he gave a some reasoning for not withdrawing:
''There's no question that if we were to prematurely withdraw and the march to democracy were to fail, then Al-Qaeda would be emboldened. 'Terrorist groups would be emboldened. The Islamo-fascists would be emboldened." - George Bush, March 22, 2006
He also intimated that he wanted to wash his hands of the withdrawal issue:
“The issue of removing troops from Iraq will be decided by future presidents and future governments of Iraq." George W. Bush, March 22, 2006
It has been reported in the American press, that President Bush said
if the Iraqi government asked the U.S. to leave it’s country we would. It now seems like it is time for the president to put our troops where his mouth is.
The Prime Minister, made a highly publicized statement last week
proudly boasting that he had defeated the terrorism in the country. Yesterday in he suggested that it was
time to start setting time tables for American troop withdrawals. The Initial response from the Bush administration to this statement has been muted.
Mr Bush had hoped to sign a Status of Forces Agreement by the end of July to establish the basis for a long-term presence of US troops in the country. The Iraqi’s have been reluctant to be bullied into agreeing with the Bush version of the agreement due to an immunity provisions for U.S. soldiers and contractors as well as use of Iraqi air-space.
