Obama Does Not Plan to End the US Occupation of Iraq

[Orwellian_Ghost]

This (Old News) Just In: Obama Doesn't Plan to End the Occupation

Posted by Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet at 7:44 AM on December 5, 2008.

The New York Times reports an "evolution" in Obama's plan for Iraq. But his campaign rhetoric and his Iraq plan were always at odds.

The New York Times is reporting an "apparent evolution" in president-elect Barack Obama's thinking on Iraq, citing recent statements about his plan to keep a "residual force" in the country and his pledge to "listen to the recommendations of my commanders" as Obama prepares to assume actual command of U.S. forces. "At the Pentagon and the military headquarters in Iraq, the response to the statements this week from Mr. Obama and his national security team has been akin to the senior officer corps' letting out its collective breath," the Times reported. "the words sounded to them like the new president would take a measured approach on the question of troop levels."

The reality is there is no "evolution."

Anyone who took the time to cut past Barack Obama's campaign rhetoric of "change" and bringing an "end" to the Iraq war realized early on that his Iraq plan boiled down to a down-sizing and rebranding of the occupation. While he emphasized his pledge to withdraw U.S. "combat forces" from Iraq in 16 months (which may or may not happen), he has always said that he intends to keep "residual forces" in place for the foreseeable future.

No matter how Obama chooses to label the forces he keeps in Iraq, the fact is, they will be occupation forces.

<snip>

Some may now accuse Obama of flip-flopping. The reality is that we need to understand what the words "end" "war" "residual" and "decisively" mean when we hear Obama say them.

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/110266/this_(old_news)_just_in%3A_obama_doesn%27t_plan_to_end_the_occupation/

[Freddie Stubbs]

1. Is it an 'occupation' if the country's legitimate government wants a residual force to stay?

[MadHound]

2. Do you really think that the government in Baghdad is legit?

A government hand picked and installed by the US. Do you think any government's actions or responses are legit when they're done at the barrel end of a gun?

We simply need to pack up and go.

[Freddie Stubbs]

19. Weren't they elected?

:shrug:

[zorahopkins]

32. There *ere Elected *ith An...

*ell, I suppose you could say that they *ere elected.

The elections took place, of course, *hile a foreign po*er had a great number of occupying troops in Iraq.

So ho* fair do you think those elections *ere?

Note: In protest of the continuing occupation of OUR *hite House by the illegal and totally corrupt Bush/Cheney regime of thugs and cronies, I REFUSE to use the letter bet*een "V" and "X", and I urge you to do the same.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

3. It's always legitimate

in the eyes of the occupiers, their sycophants and their apologists.

It is a war crime. Nothing less.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. Does that mean that Obama will be a war criminal if he keeps his campaign promise to keep a residual

force in Iraq?

Did the Democratic Party nominate, and the American people elect, a man who promised to commit war crimes?

[blindpig]

22. Yes. n/t

[Mari333]

23. yes and ditto n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. Does that mean that we are all war criminals for voting for a man who promised to commit war crimes?

:shrug:

[blindpig]

27. We are complicit.

Check out the Nuremberg war crimes trial. Knowledge of war crimes demands opposition.

[Freddie Stubbs]

29. Which specific war crimes are we complicit of knowing about?

Is it a war crime to have troops stationed in a country if the internationally recognized government of that country wants us to keep a residual force there?

[blindpig]

31. Last I saw the Iraqi people want us gone.

The invasion was launched under false pretense.

The puppet government is imposed. They had about as much choice as we have.

Civilians have been killed by the thousands by 'Coalition" forces.

[Freddie Stubbs]

33. What percentage of the Iraqi oppose Obama's plan to leave a residual force in Iraq?

:shrug:

[Cid_B]

21. So now what?

What is your "perfect solution"? Go back and find everyone who was in charge before invasion and give them their old job back because they are "legit"? This comes off as snarky but Im really curious.

[leftstreet]

4. HOLY CRAP! Did you see this quote in there from Samantha Power?

{snip - my bold}

In March, Obama advisor Samantha Power let the cat out of the bag for some people when she described her candidate's 16-month timetable for withdrawing U.S. "combat" forces as a "best case scenario." Power said, "He will, of course, not rely on some plan that he's crafted as a presidential candidate or a U.S. Senator." (After that remark and referring to Sen. Hillary Clinton as a "monster," Power resigned from the campaign. Now that Obama is president-elect, Power's name has once again resurfaced as a member of his transitional team.)

[TheWraith]

12. Did you just get here recently?

People spent days during the primary when she said that shitting their pants over that quote. Because DUers are paranoid morons who can't comprehend anything which isn't a conspiracy theory centering around how evil all Democrats are. :eyes:

[leftstreet]

15. LOL, no all I remembered was the dumb Hillary "monster" thing

I hadn't heard the other stuff

[FriendlyReminder]

5. Come on! It is time to LEAVE!

I think the Iraqi's are just using us as 'free labor'. They can and should take care of themselves. Obama needs to face this reality or face the wrath of us who elected him in four years.

[enid602]

6. UN

Obama has chosen an able Sec of St, and an able ambassador to the UN as well. Between the two of them, they should be able to make the case that it is in the WORLD´s interest to get US troops out of Iraq ASAP, and replace them with UN troops. The UN troops won´t be seen as imperialistic, nor will they feed growing militarism, sectional strife and civil unrest. The UN will be able to run the operation a good bit more efficiently (lower troop costs and they´re allowed to seek competitive bids for wartime contracts) and the global financial crisis will be less severe if the US is not so bogged down by continuing costs of occupying Iraq.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

14. 'Able' to do what?

As relates to Iraq could you please give what you think to be Hillary's expert capabilities and explain how that will lead to the scenario you discuss?

She has been a cheerleader of the US invasion and occupation every step of the way which directly contradicts your wish.

[emulatorloo]

7. Alternet, counterpunch etc. always jump to wild conclusions, IMHO

I am not ready to buy into this anti-Obama stuff yet. He has been telegraphing that he will lay out his plan for getting out of Iraq after inauguration.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

8. Please stick to the issue

I'd like to hear your analysis of the issue rather than your opinion on personalities.

[Odin2005]

9. OMG, we must still be occupying Germany and South Korea, then, too!!!

:sarcasm: :eyes:

[wildbilln864]

10. To the greatest page! nt

:hi:

[earth mom]

11. Hey, but it's "All Good" when Obama stays in Iraq, doncha know?

:sarcasm:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. Keeping lost wars going in Iraq and Afghanistan is now politically correct.

Wave flag, throw in a few stanzas of "God Bless America", and ship out the cannon fodder.

[Mari333]

24. yes, amazingly if it was Bush stating he wanted to send 20,000

more kids to afghanistan, and keep the forces in Iraq at any level, people would be ballistic. but if its Obama, we are supposed to be good little dems and STFU.
same old stuff.

[JDPriestly]

16. The only candidates who wanted to take the troops completely out were

Kucinich and Edwards. If anyone had any illusions that Obama and Clinton wanted to take them all out, didn't listen to Obama and Clinton in the debates.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

18. I know many

who have been deeply involved in the anti-war movement, such as it is, who believed, and still hold on to this belief, that Obama was/is going to end the occupation of Iraq. This despite all evidence to the contrary. It's difficult to explain how they came to think this as many of them did follow the campaign season very closely. I think often times folks hear what they want to hear.

[Freddie Stubbs]

36. People hear what they want to hear and project their own beliefs onto their heroes

[Popol Vuh]

17. Obama is CFR (Council on Foreign Relations)

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[Freddie Stubbs]

34. When did Obama join the CFR?

:shrug:

[alarimer]

26. If we are not completely gone in 4 years, he will not be getting my vote for re-election.

I will vote for a true anti-war candidate then.

The Iraq OCCUPATION (not a war) needs to end NOW. Fuck Obama and his gradualist, centrist bullshit. And fuck his bullshit plan for MORE WAR in Afghanistan.

[Mari333]

28. yes, completely gone in 4 years

or sooner. and I will also vote 3rd party, because at least I could live with myself.

[Freddie Stubbs]

30. You obviously did not learn the lesson that Mr. Nader inadvertently taught

[tuckessee]

35. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who was paying attention.

Nor should they be surprised by his ramping up of the Afghanistan War or increased military activity against Pakistan and Iran.

If Democrats wanted an anti-war candidate then they should've chosen Kucinich. Instead they chose more war.

[rainman99]

37. I can't believe I'm ticked off before he even takes office.

Someone better have a talk with him.