Iraq Parlaiment votes end foreign troop presence

[French G.]

I've decided that every political philosophy has its own utopia. They are all completely unattainable and usually end up with a lot of dead people.

Relevant to this is the libertarian utopia where we bring every troop home and ignore the world. While I wouldn't have minded a break during my time on Team America, here's the deal. Nature abhors a vacuum. If we pack up our smart bombs and go home somebody else is going to run the world. Dutch, British, Portuguese, Spanish, Japan, Germany have all had a go. Next up is obviously China. Better for us to keep our finger in the pie and make things suit us. We've been a pretty benign empire post WWII. WW I & II got so bad precisely because we stuck our heads in the sand.

[Andiron]

He has openly been in Iraq, like many Iranian government folk, for the entirety of the war and post war. Iran and Iraq have public and official links.

Do tell us how the revolutionary guard feels about this.

[dogmush]

You know, NO one has addressed this issue... the US, the Iraqis, etc...

What was this guy doing in Baghdad? In Iraq? Which tacitly a US ally?

It seems as if he was there pretty openly.

He was in Baghdad on a stop to meet his SMG commanders.  He was traveling from Riyadh to Tehran (by way of Lebanon or Syria).  Supposedly he was in KSA to receive the Saudi response to a proposal to lower Gulf tensions after the Saudi Oilfield explodyness of last year.  He is an interesting choice for Tehran to send on that mission, since it was probably his troops that launched that particular operation.  There's some subtext there.

Which begs the question (also not really being talked about) of how exactly the US knew who was on that plane and in that car.  If someone were cynical, or knew anything about mid-east politics, one might read the Saudi response into that particular piece of intel leaking to the US.

We don't really have that many troops in Iraq itself.  I would be curious what our total is in the ME outside Afghanistan.

US CENTCOM has between 60,000 and 70,000 troops on ground in theater*.  USFOR-A (US FORces- Afghanistan) has about 14,000 troops in country.  So figure between 45,000 and 55,000 troops in the Mideast, outside of Afghanistan.  Those numbers are +/- a couple thousand, but are pretty close.

*Before we deployed the Ready Brigade out of Bragg.  So add 4000(ish) this week.

[MechAg94]

I got the impression from things I saw that we have had opportunities to hit this guy before, but past administrations either didn't have him as a target or didn't want to risk the Iranian response.  

Thanks for the information.  That is a lot of people in the area.  Also fewer in Afghanistan than I thought.

[Ron]

The occupation of Iraq is over from what I have read.

We will be pulling out.

That's huuge.

[Ron]

sLTG Abdul Amir
Deputy Director, Combined Joint Operations Baghdad Iraq - Ministry of Defense

Your Excellency,

Sir, in due deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement.

In order to conduct this task, Coalition Forces are required to take certain measures to ensure that the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner.

During this time, there will be an increase in helicopter travel in and around the International Zone (IZ) of Baghdad. This increased traffic will include CH47, VH-00, and AH-64 security escort helicopters.

Coalition Forces will take appropriate measures to minimize and mitigate the disturbance to the public. In addition, we will conduct these operations during hours of darkness to help alleviate any perception that we may be bringing more Coalition Forces into the IZ.

As we begin implementing this next phase of operations, I wish to reiterate the value of our friendship and partnership. We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure.

Very Respectfully,

WILLIAM H. SEELY III
Brigadier General, U.S. Marine Corps
Commanding General, TF-Iraq

[Ben]

They're saying it was a draft letter that was mistakenly released. Sounds like somebody is going to be scapegoated or get a pretty crappy performance eval.

[Ron]

That's what I get for believing fake news Reuters 😁

[dogmush]

The occupation of Iraq is over from what I have read.

We will be pulling out.

That's huuge.

IF we pull out (and that's a big IF), remember we already pulled out once before.  It didn't stick.

[Ron]

IF we pull out (and that's a big IF), remember we already pulled out once before.  It didn't stick.

If our metric for pulling out is Iraqi Sunni and Shia Muslims getting along and playing nice we may never get out of there.

Trump understands "sunk costs".

[bedlamite]

If our metric for pulling out is Iraqi Sunni and Shia Muslims getting along and playing nice we may never get out of there.

Trump understands "sunk costs".

This. Our best option would be to light the fire on another Sunni/Shia war, step back and both us and Russia could sell them arms.

[MechAg94]

IF we pull out (and that's a big IF), remember we already pulled out once before.  It didn't stick.

At this point, it is only 5000 troops and they would likely go right back if something happened. 

I would like to see if they have plans to get out of the Middle East.

[Ron]

Now the script is flipped.

They want us out Trump says no.

More troops sent to Iraq.

Time is running out for Trump, those of us who want out of Middle East wars and occupation are getting antsy.

So far Trump has talked a good game but results are the only thing that count.

[WLJ]

Give Iraq back to the British.

[RocketMan]

Give Iraq back to the British.

They are too smart to take it.  Plus, their gun and knife bans probably wouldn't work there.