“When Johnnie Comes Marching Home”
On March 23rd 2003 US forces along with coalition troops first set foot on Iraqi soil with orders to destroy the Iraqi army. Two weeks later on April 9th allied forces triumphantly drove into the Iraqi capital of Bagdad.
On Friday October 21st, 2011 President Barack Obama told the United States people and the world that all US ground forces, some 50 thousand troops, will be out of Iraq by year’s end; thus ending 9 years of combat with the Insurgents and Al Qaeda costing the US some 4,400 lives and over 1 trillion dollars.
The President said….
 As a candidate for President, I pledged to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end — for the sake of our national security and to strengthen American leadership around the world. After taking office, I announced a new strategy that would end our combat mission in Iraq and remove all of our troops by the end of 2011.
As Commander-in-Chief, ensuring the success of this strategy has been one of my highest national security priorities. Last year, I announced the end to our combat mission in Iraq. And to date, we’ve removed more than 100,000 troops. Iraqis have taken full responsibility for their country’s security.
A few hours ago I spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki. I reaffirmed that the United States keeps its commitments. He spoke of the determination of the Iraqi people to forge their own future. We are in full agreement about how to move forward.
So today, I can report that, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year. After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over.
Here at home, the coming months will be another season of homecomings. Across America, our servicemen and women will be reunited with their families. Today, I can say that our troops in Iraq will definitely be home for the holidays.
So there it is our military will no longer have any responsibilities in Iraq.  Yes this was a campaign promise by Presidential Candidate Obama but what was the real reason behind this? Why are we not leaving any advisors or support personnel behind?
Well it appears that the intense negotiations between the US and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki stalled in one particular area… “The United States wanted to be sure that our forces had immunity from legal prosecution by the Iraqi government”. Bagdad said “no” that it would be impossible to grant such protection. So the US said “Adios.”
In my opinion this is a good thing for the United States and a very bad thing for the fledgling Bagdad government. According to a new USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll two thirds of the Iraqi people wanted the US out of their country anyway. Truth be told a year after the Hussein regime fell we were no longer a liberating force; instead we became an occupying army.  But can the Iraqi army actually defend their country?  Their army is anemic at best and non existence at its worst. In my opinion the insurgents should be knocking on the doors of the Bagdad regime within six months. Hopefully by then the United States will have changed all the phone numbers it gave the Iraqi Prime Minister.
To the Iraqi People I can only say, “Be careful what you wish for”; to all our US troops scheduled to leave Iraq I simply say, “Welcome Home.”
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A real compentent President and state department would have been able to negociate with the Iraqis so that at least a minimum about of troups would stay to help the new government. In all of out military history we have never completely pulled out of a country after a war. With the exception of Vietnam perhaps. Barry’s actions are nothing more that trying to apease his leftist supporters to buy what little votes he thinks he will get.The damage his incompentence or deliberate destruction of America has done is the direct result of making us the laughing stock of other World governments. America has zero respect in the World and who knows how long if ever that will be won back. I doubt if US respect will come in my lifetime. Too bad for us that electing the first half Black half White socialist was more important that electing a real pro-America to lead our country.
Oh and BTW I just heard that the American General in Iraq has advised Obama that we should leave 15-20 troups there. Obama in is infintant non existant wisdom is leaving 100 soliders to guard the Iraqi government. How well do you think that will work? Can you imaigne if Obama was president during WWII? I can and we would all be lampshades now. America is in dire straights both domestically and internationally and Obama and his ilk are repoonsible for all of it. Lets hope the brain trust of democratic voters are smart enough to see reality. Given what passes for democrat voters I have my doubt.
Dig deeper! “President Barack Obama has said hat his goal is to ensure that America remains number one. Even so, he has been excoriated by his opponents for “declinism”, (A subject worthy of an autopsy).
Charles Krauthammer, a conservative, he declared “Decline is a choice.” The stern rejection of “declinism” is not confined to the “rabid (progressives love to use words that are void of civility) right.”
Joseph Nye, a Harvard professor (this elite academic institution is heavily invested in banks, Wall-Street, an “Occupy Wall-Street”, deserving of a presence considering its endowments, where assets are invested in banks, no or little taxes, and the lack of any parity between ideological progressivism and conservatism), and doyen, senior acolyte, much like the latest Peace Prize recipient, regardless of point of view, can be argued to have, for the most part, rightly or wrongly, carried out President Bush’s, in place, strategies…no suggestion that historically Obama doesn’t deserve credit….history will offer up the final analysis), of US foreign policy analysts, regards talk of American decline as an “intellectual Fad” (The Oxford smoking rooms of the academic elite, more comfortable that being bombed, maimed and shot at) -comparable to earlier paranoia about the US being overtaken by Japan (remember the cameras and claims of stolen technology (reverse engineering)…not so long ago…we won the battle and lost the war!…Maybe not!).
But please, Gideon Rachman, he talks to British diplomats, knows that of what he speaks as he stumbles “What is not permissible, in mainstream debate, is to suggest that there may be no “coming back” (maybe “coming back” may never need happen if we wake up), and that the decline of American power (if you are seduced) is neither a fad nor a choice but a fact.” Most believe we are better, much, much, better than this analysis.
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/0c73f10e-f8aa-11e0-ad8f-00144feab49a.html#axzz1bpam25Mz
“Decline need not mean the end to peace and prosperity.” Sounds like a socialist slogan, banner and choice.
Most of us would embrace Charles Krauthammer and refuse the choice, as we did, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, rejection of Gideon Rachman “wisdom?” today, and refused to continue to pay unwilling taxes, while incurring unsustainable debt, making national security a priority over the export of democracy, reminiscent of over two hundred years ago.