Iraqi elections postponed, troops to remain

Iraq Election Delayed, Complicating US Pullout Timetable
Some Politicians Sought Longer Delay as Violence Escalates
by Jason Ditz, May 18, 2009

The Iraqi government has announced today that the national parliamentary elections, which were supposed to be held later this year, will be pushed back until January 30, 2010. Others had fought to push the elections back even further, as much as a year.

The delay may push the selection of the next Iraqi prime minister until mid 2010, imperiling the Obama Administration’s plans to remove significant portions of the American military force from the nation by August 31, 2010.

President Obama had previously agreed to leave the bulk of America’s soldiers in the nation until after the national election. Top US commander in Iraq General Ray Odierno said that the pullout from Iraq was predicated on the ability of Iraq to conduct “legitimate, credible elections,”

The election delay may provide yet another excuse to keep the war going indefinitely.

news.antiwar.com...

Yuck,
It seems now that we are at the mercy of the Iraqi's.

Iraq, we are 6 and a half years in.... and we are still there.
It looks as if we are going to be there come 7.5 - 8yrs.

I hate to say it, and it pains me, but one of Obama's prime promises, seems to be fading fast.

reply to post by Agit8dChop
I hate to say it, and it pains me, but one of Obama's prime promises, seems to be fading fast.

That is painful but looking at all the rest of the promises that aren't going to be followed up on this doesn't surprise me at all.

Yeah, I wish we were out of there already!

The surge is working, the surge is working. Looks like the murderous American military will be there a few more years.

I find it odd that only a short time ago we were shown images of Iragi's proudly holding up their fingers covered in blue ink after their elections.

Also we were told that now Iraq was about to be able to take the reins and run their country without US involvement.

I just wish the lies would stop. If we are sacrificing our finest and bravest to the corporate whore; just tell us and stop the tired old Patriotic song and dance.

I now think the "War on Terrorism" was a fabricated construct to keep us at war with the accompanying war profiteering going on indefinitely.

God help us!

[edit on 24-5-2009 by whaaa]

We shouldn't leave Iraq until they feel that they are ready to handle their own national issues. Having said that, this is a freebee. I don't think even Obama will play the "oh just one more year" bit again.

If we were to wait until Iraq was a perfect model of democracy yadda yadda blah blah blah we will never leave.

I remember thinking to myself when the Invasion began that we would end up spending decades not weeks or months or even years in Iraq. I wasn't too surprised to find people upset that we were still there after a few months or years.

Too much of a fast food mentality these days.
We want everything now.

Why is it so hard to comprehend the fact they are there purely to rape & pillage the oil; there is no other reason.

As if they care whether there's a democracy or not.

They are securing a foothold in the middle east so they can have territorial control of the Caspian Sea, the last place on Earth where oil is easily mined.

Iran with their gas supply, will be the icing on the cake, so war with Iran will happen.

I find it absolutely incredulous that people believe America is there for the good of the people...what absolute BS

How else can they afford to stomp their way around the World with their military might?

America is truly embedded in Iraq, they aren't going anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, i can't believe people, especially on ATS, believe that they are trying to implement some kind of governance. The last thing the illuminati want is a nice, happy land of free voting Iraqi citizens.

Please justify them building a $736million US embassy in Iraq, the World's largest and most expensive to date, with tennis courts, swimming pools, etc. Doesn't sound like they'll be leaving any time soon

Also, they build 30foot concrete walls to protect their 'green zones' and point guns at locals who drive up to check-points; what a lovely way to come across as a peaceful military who are on their land illegally.

Just do some metacognition and imagine a Muslim army on US soil doing exactly the same; would your blood boil, or would you think how great it is to be free of the tyranny of past leaders like 'back-track' Barry & Bush et al.

Edit: Embassy pictures - thinkprogress.org...

[edit on 24-5-2009 by PrisonerOfSociety]

Mullen: U.S. Is on Schedule in Iraq

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday said the U.S. is on schedule to withdraw troops from Iraq but faces challenges in closing the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay.

Adm. Mullen said the U.S. is on track to pull combat forces out of Iraqi cities by the end of next month despite a recent uptick in violence in the country. He reiterated his support for President Barack Obama's plan to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, and said officials are working hard to meet a January 2010 deadline for shutting it.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
Mullen: U.S. Is on Schedule in Iraq

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday said the U.S. is on schedule to withdraw troops from Iraq but faces challenges in closing the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay.

Adm. Mullen said the U.S. is on track to pull combat forces out of Iraqi cities by the end of next month despite a recent uptick in violence in the country. He reiterated his support for President Barack Obama's plan to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, and said officials are working hard to meet a January 2010 deadline for shutting it.

I wish to God that were true, but with the record of the US Military playing fast and loose with the truth; I'll believe it when I see it.

We still have forces in Germany and Japan. Why should Iraq be any different. Will we win the "War on Terrorism"....We will only exacerbate the problem with our presence.

reply to post by whaaa


Like I said in my earlier post.

When we went in I was thinking we would be there for decades not merely a few months or years. Anybody with even a rudimentary knowledge of history will know that fighting a war and invasion is one thing while occupation and nation building is completely another. The later takes years if not decades. I personally never thought the American people had the stomach nor the patience for this type of endeavor.

Germany and Japan are from a completely different scenario IMO. After they were defeated there really wasn't too much outside influence stirring things up so reconstruction went relatively smooth.

Well Japan had some major issues with a grass roots communist problem.