Mahdi asks Pompeo to send a delegation to arrange Americas withdrawl from Iraq.

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.

The call was real.

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.

CBS

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.

MilTimes

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.

CNBC

ETA:

State.gov

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.

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...

But, there is no question that the depression was not caused by anything even remotely like that. It was caused by intentional contraction of the money supply by the Fed. They created it, intentionally, as a way to go forward with the greatest heist of all time - the outlawing of private ownership of gole, and the theft of that same gold from the American people - yet they continued to honor the gold clasue for foreigners. This was treason, pure and simple.

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.

You seem bent on this being very significant as somehow of showing how corrupt and evil the media can be or something.

I don't think it matters. It's been reported in the news the Iraqi parliament voted to kick all the foreign troops out. The question now becomes who is the defacto power in Iraq. Is Iraq governed by its people or the US military?

The Iraqi government no longer wants US troops in its country. What do you think the US should with its troops in Iraq and please justify why you choose your opinion.

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...

The Great Depression was caused by a severe reduction in the money supply. Monetary policy instituted by the banks was way too restrictive.

"Essentially, the Great Depression, in their view, was caused by the fall of the money supply. Friedman and Schwartz write: "From the cyclical peak in August 1929 to a cyclical trough in March 1933, the stock of money fell by over a third.""

Causes of the Great Depression

originally posted by: TheRedneck
It is time.

Agreed, 1,000%. Long overdue.

We still have air bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE. We need to maintain those as long as we are welcome.

Disagree vehemently. Why?

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.

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.

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.

Now you're going to make me throw up. Scrag the UN. We should kick that abomination out of the USA immediately.

War is coming people. WWIII is coming, and no one can stop it.

Maybe... and maybe not. I disagree vehemently that it is imminent and or a certainty.

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.

Agree completely., but that is regardless of if ware is definitely coming or not.

a reply to: Liquesence

Show me the original.

...but according to the statement...

originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: Liquesence

Show me the original.

...but according to the statement...

JFC.

The original? Go to DC and ask to see the original and listen to the tape of the call.

State.gov

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.

Unless they're lying. Mahdi says the call happened, the State Dept says the call happened, only difference is the details of the call.

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.

Wow... we actually agree on something!

Star for you good sir...

a reply to: dfnj2015

You seem bent on this being very significant as somehow of showing how corrupt and evil the media can be or something.

Well, we didn't see any video, audio or official document where this guy talk about the phone call.

a reply to: Liquesence

Unless they're lying. Mahdi says the call happened

No man. She (the journalist) said it. You trust her.

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.

Agreed, but with a suggested modification - don't just re-open any old bases, open new ones - right on the southern border, and put them in the most high traffic areas of illegal crossings - meaning, make it so that if someone comes across illegally, they are actually coming onto a military base.

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.

That's what I said:

"It was caused by intentional contraction of the money supply by the Fed."

But I also explained why - again, it was to provide cover for their theft of the gold belonging to the American people - our money

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.

So, you're saying you do not believe the phone call happened even though the US State Department says it did, in fact, happen?

a reply to: Liquesence

I just saw the link you posted. Now I believe it👍

Thanks Liq. Good source.

just wow.

So is the US is refusing to leave a foreign country when asked to do so from the country.


I'm sorry I seem to have crossed parallel universes..

What are they going to kill them if Iraqis decide to legally remove them from their country...?

a reply to: tanstaafl

Again... why? If we really are oil independent now, why do we care?

For the same reason we should have cared at the beginnings of WWII. We are witnessing an alliance of powers, and none of them are good. Out of the three powers that are uniting, Russia, Iran, and Syria, Russia would be considered the most stable and reasonable.

Understand that.. Russia is the stable one in this alliance. Vladimir Putin is their voice of reason.

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.

I do not say we should interfere... only that we should maintain a presence amongst our allies.

This is what NATO is for. We should absolutely continue to participate in NATO, but that is all.

NATO has shown itself to be less effective than hoped. Perhaps in an actual war they might be valuable allies, but as it is, they can't even pay for their own troops. Until war is declared, we need to be ready to strike on short notice to prevent war.

As it is, we are so divided over here that someone attacks our embassy, we take him out, and a large part of the population is crying for him! Imagine how hard it would be to strike back at Iran for attacking Saudi Arabia if we do not even have a base there? Iran could literally start conquering nations left and right, and we would be sitting here helpless waiting on Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi to shut up about Trump long enough to realize what's happening.

Now you're going to make me throw up. Scrag the UN. We should kick that abomination out of the USA immediately.

Agreed on kicking their butts out of New York (I despise the UN as much as you do), but they are a diplomatic channel. There's no sense in not using whatever diplomatic channels we have available to us. However, we need to stop using our troops and our military to back them up. If the United Nations wants to maintain a force, the other nations need to be as involved as we are.

We can be a part of the UN for diplomatic means, and not be the sole muscle behind the UN.

Maybe... and maybe not. I disagree vehemently that it is imminent and or a certainty.

Imminent, maybe not... I certainly hope not. A certainty... yes it is.

My whole thinking is not to prevent war... that is not possible unless we want to take over the planet by force (if we even could). My purpose is to delay war as long as possible. Iran will attack other countries in the Middle East... they always have. Iraq is rapidly becoming part of Iran. We know Putin has no qualms using military might for Mother Russia and would like nothing better than to recreate the old USSR. And Assad in Syria... there's you a loose cannon if ever one existed.

You cannot have an alliance between three such countries without ensuring either war or world domination from them. Like it or not, this is our legacy... this is what so many decades of poor "leadership" has done for us. The only thing Trump may be able to do is help get us strong enough to survive it. I honestly don't think we will be able to fight it... I expect Europe to be the powerhouse in this one. I know, that sounds crazy, but believe me: I have my reasons for thinking so.

TheRedneck

I agree, but I also think the massive military presence across Europe and the ME is what is holding the US as the global super power. a reply to: The2Billies

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.

No, no, NO. That is precisely what we established NATO for. Let them fulfill their purpose - finally!!

NATO has shown itself to be less effective than hoped.

So let this be their wake up call.

Obviously we can't pull everything out tomorrow (as much as I would like to), so we set a 1 year time table. The first 6 months is cleaning up and prepping for the big pull out, then the last 6 months we actually bring them home.

We should pack up and leave. Iraq was lost before the first billion dollar Halliburton was pissed away.

Pack up, load the planes and DO NOT LOOK BACK

This is our golden ticket out of that quagmire