US troops 'to quit Iraq by 2011'

[JesusA (imported)]

US combat troops could leave Iraq by 2011 under the terms of a deal awaiting approval by Iraq's parliament and presidency, an Iraqi official has said.

The draft security agreement also calls for US forces to withdraw from all Iraqi urban areas by June 2009.

––––BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7577730.stm

It looks as if G.W. Bush has "Cut'N'End Run" on McCain and shorted him by 97 years on his willingness to stay in Iraq for 100 years.

McCain, in a attempt to re-frame his "experience," called for the troops to be removed from Georgia. He wants Sherman to return to pre-Gettysburg lines . . . .

[kristoff]

It looks as if G.W. Bush has "Cut'N'End Run" on McCain and shorted him by 97 years on his willingness to stay in Iraq for 100 years.

McCain, in a attempt to re-frame his "experience," called for the troops to be removed from Georgia. He wants Sherman to return to pre-Gettysburg lines . . . .

Be wary! They are discussing COMBAT troops, not peacekeeping troops, or occupation troops, or any other kind of troops. There is a distinction in the military definitions.

[Paolo]

What Sherman did to Atlanta does have merit, however.

[Blaise (imported)]

What Sherman did to Atlanta does have merit, however.

It ended the war. At least, it made possible the reelection of President Lincoln and then ending the war. Of course, we are still pretty hot about Yankee Imperialism in my hometown.

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

What Sherman did to Atlanta does have merit, however.

Send him to Detroit next. --FLO--

[DeaconBlues (imported)]

What Sherman did to Atlanta does have merit, however.

I agree, too bad Sherman did not continue on his march to Augusta and Savannah. I was stuck in Augusta for three and a half horrid years. Honestly, I would have been happier in a prison cell. In my whole life, I have lived in Europe, the Middle East, all over the U.S., but I have never lived anywhere so hate filled as Augusta, Georgia.

[Kortpeel (imported)]

I was stuck in Augusta for three and a half horrid years. Honestly, I would have been happier in a prison cell. In my whole life, I have lived in Europe, the Middle East, all over the U.S., but I have never lived anywhere so hate filled as Augusta, Georgia.

Who are they hating and why?

Does this have anything to do with the (American) civil war? As I see it that war was a fair stand up fight and the South lost. Well, toughies. Get over it and move on. Or are they after compensation for all those expensive slaves that got set free? Is there scope for a class action suit here?

For what it's worth the English civil war 1642-1651 was won by the 'republicans' who had the king beheaded. However they were an English equivalent of the Taleban so after a while the English restored the monarchy who have kept up a proud tradition of unlicensed debauchery ever since, apart from Queen Victoria who was not amused. But she was very discreet.

Actually what I meant to say was that hardly any English person today would know what side their ancestors were on in our civil war 'cos they have moved on.

Kortpeel

[DeaconBlues (imported)]

Who are they hating and why?

Does this have anything to do with the (American) civil war?......

Those are some damn good questions Kortpeel. I am not sure if I have the answers, but I will try.

As for WHO are they hating and why: From what I saw, everyone there hated everyone else, blacks hated whites, whites hated blacks, whites hated WHITES, blacks hated blacks. Seemed like everyone hated everyone.

I have never been anywhere that had such a high crime rate, people murdered, and no one brought to justice EVER. Three separate times I came home from work and saw a bank surrounded by cop cars, every time the robbers had already fled and never were caught to my knowlege. Two separate times I remember driving on to my street to see the local law blockading off my neighborhood, doing a cordon and search operation trying (unsuccessfully) to catch armed robbers who had fled there.

Personally, I do not like cops very much, but I am in fact a very "law abiding" sort and do everything I can to obey the law, and urge my fellow citizens to do likewise, but Georgia is an exception. The cops there seemed almost to deliberately foul up some search operations as though they were in cahoots with the criminals. Agusta Georgia is the only place I have lived where I felt I needed to carry a gun when I went out to the ATM, and I did that on the advice of a law enforcement officer, as he told me, some robbers that were working the area were known to shoot victims, even if they did hand over the money.

The whole idea of "southern hospitality" and all that... well that is TRULY "Gone With The Wind." There were a few places I knew of where people were still polite, curteous and nice, (the local Waffle House in particular) but most were needlessly rude. I never could understand WHY so many people there were just out to screw everyone they could, and I don't mean "screw" in a good sexual way!

As for WHY, damn good question! Maybe it was the heat, pissing everyone off because the were so hot under the collar. Maybe it was the Civil War, they were all a bunch of "sore losers" and had carried a grudge for... 130 years and more when I was there. Maybe it was the prevalence of religious fundamentalism... I just could not say for sure WHY.

Hey, this thread is about troops being out of Iraq by 2011, not a place for me to grind my axe. Well, WHENEVER those troops come home.... I would suggest they go to Augusta Georgia and try to establish some semblance of order there.... The place IS a bit like Baghdad, Iraq.

[Blaise (imported)]

I agree, too bad Sherman did not continue on his march to Augusta and Savannah. I was stuck in Augusta for three and a half horrid years. Honestly, I would have been happier in a prison cell. In my whole life, I have lived in Europe, the Middle East, all over the U.S., but I have never lived anywhere so hate filled as Augusta, Georgia.

This is true. I had close friend from that area. She left 41 years ago and never returned to live there. She was from an old family, but her humanity grew and she had to be far away from the place.