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originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: Deetermined
All I've been saying in this thread is that the f# phone call is made up BS.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi has asked the Trump administration to send a delegation to Baghdad to "lay down the mechanisms for implementing" America's military withdrawal. In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Mahdi said Iraq was "keen to keep the best relations" with its allies, but noted the parliament's decision that the U.S. should "safely withdraw troops from Iraq."
The prime minister did not give a timeline, but according to the statement, he asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the phone Thursday "to send delegates to Iraq to lay down the mechanisms for implementing (the) Iraqi Parliament's decision."
The U.S. State Department's official description of the same phone call, released Thursday afternoon in Washington, did not mention either the requested U.S. withdrawal or any Iraqi complaint about recent troop movements in or out of Iraq. Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in the readout that Pompeo had "reiterated the United States' condemnation of the Iranian regime's January 7 launch of ballistic missiles" at two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops.
Iraq's caretaker prime minister asked the U.S. secretary of state to start working out a road map for an American troop withdrawal from Iraq, his office said Friday,
The U.S. State Department acknowledged that Pompeo had called Abdul-Mahdi but made no mention of U.S. troops in a readout of the call released late Thursday.
The U.S. State Department acknowledged that Pompeo had called Abdul-Mahdi but made no mention of U.S. troops in a readout of the call released late Thursday.
Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Pompeo reiterated the United States’ condemnation of the Iranian missile strikes on the two bases and underscored that President Donald Trump “has said the United States will do whatever it takes to protect the American and Iraqi people and defend our collective interests.”
Top American military officials including Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper have said there were no plans for the U.S. to withdraw from Iraq.
The following is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus:
Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdel-Mahdi today. Secretary Pompeo reiterated the United States’ condemnation of the Iranian regime’s January 7 launch of ballistic missiles into two sites in Iraq that host Iraqi, American, and Coalition forces working together to defeat ISIS. The Secretary underscored that, as President Trump has said, the United States will do whatever it takes to protect the American and Iraqi people and defend our collective interests.
originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
While i support withdrawal of troops from foreign lands, i can't help but remember the lessons learned from the isolationism of the 1920's. The 1930's were a really hard time for Americans....due in large part to our unwillingness to engage the world at large.
originally posted by: Trueman
originally posted by: Sookiechacha
originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: Deetermined
All I've been saying in this thread is that the f# phone call is made up BS.
Nothing to do with the parliament.
Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi made his request in a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo late on Thursday in line with a vote by Iraq’s parliament last week, his office said in a statement.
Abdul Mahdi asked Pompeo to “send delegates to put in place the tools to carry out the parliament’s decision”, it said, adding without elaborating that the forces used in the killing had entered Iraq or used its airspace without permission.
uk.reuters.com...
Again, it doesn't say He declared it. It's the journalist saying it. See the difference?
No way to know if it's true.
originally posted by: tanstaafl
originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
While i support withdrawal of troops from foreign lands, i can't help but remember the lessons learned from the isolationism of the 1920's. The 1930's were a really hard time for Americans....due in large part to our unwillingness to engage the world at large.
Are you suggesting that the 'great depression' was caused by so-called 'isolationist' polices?
I wasn't aware of any 'isolationist' policies implemented in the 20's, would appreciate some links...
originally posted by: TheRedneck
It is time.
We still have air bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE. We need to maintain those as long as we are welcome.
We also need to maintain close relations with Israel, and maintain our presence in Italy. That gives us access to protect the two ports: the Persian Gulf and Syria. If trouble starts, we can shut down the Russia/Iran/Iraq/Syrian oil flow.
We should also continue to work with the UN and their peacekeeping forces, but no longer as a leader. We should simply be a part of the forces like any other nation.
War is coming people. WWIII is coming, and no one can stop it.
We need to protect the US now: reinforce our borders, pour that saved money into weapons and defense R&D, and concentrate on getting our economy self-sufficient and our infrastructure modernized.
originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: Liquesence
Show me the original.
...but according to the statement...
The following is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus:
Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdel-Mahdi today. Secretary Pompeo reiterated the United States’ condemnation of the Iranian regime’s January 7 launch of ballistic missiles into two sites in Iraq that host Iraqi, American, and Coalition forces working together to defeat ISIS. The Secretary underscored that, as President Trump has said, the United States will do whatever it takes to protect the American and Iraqi people and defend our collective interests.
originally posted by: dfnj2015
I have this theory that no matter what we do in the Middle East it will not matter or make any difference at all. Arabs have been killing Arabs for thousands of years. It's not going to stop.
Pull out the troops now because it will make no difference if we pull out in 2006, 2020, or 2050. The result will be exactly the same. The Middle East is a cluster eff of chaos.
Unless they're lying. Mahdi says the call happened
originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: Deetermined
We should close the military bases in Iraq and reopen the ones in the USA to help our economy and strengthen our defense of the homeland. Without a strong economy the US military will not have the tax base necessary to support the levels of military spending we currently have.
originally posted by: dfnj2015
The Great Depression was caused by a severe reduction in the money supply. Monetary policy instituted by the banks was way too restrictive.
originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: Liquesence
Unless they're lying. Mahdi says the call happened
No man. She (the journalist) said it. You trust her.
Again... why? If we really are oil independent now, why do we care?
This is what NATO is for. We should absolutely continue to participate in NATO, but that is all.
Now you're going to make me throw up. Scrag the UN. We should kick that abomination out of the USA immediately.
Maybe... and maybe not. I disagree vehemently that it is imminent and or a certainty.
originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: tanstaafl
No, no, no, we have to maintain some ability to respond should anything go awry. All three countries rely on oil sales to support themselves; they even have issues with supplying enough gasoline/diesel to support their needs as they do not have the refinery capability we have. As long as there are US forces sitting there watching their ports, that will serve as incentive to keep them in line.
NATO has shown itself to be less effective than hoped.