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Bryan Casler of Iraq Veterans Against the War, a former Marine corporal, scoffs at the idea that only 50,000 non-combat troops are being left in Iraq. He told me: “They have tried to sell the public on a false pretense. The problem is we still have infantry there. They will still have weapons. And they’re talking about sending over thousands of ‘civilian contractors’ to train police and protect Iraqis. It’s b.s.”
“They’re just re-branding everyone. We’ll still be stuck in Iraq.”
I had to laugh when I saw the headline on Antiwar.com: "US Announces Second Fake End to Iraq War." Yes, I did indeed get a rush of déjà-vu as I listened to Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow solemnly describe "the end" of the "combat mission" in Iraq, and Richard Engel pontificate as the cameras zoomed in on the "last" convoy over the border to Kuwait.
Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe
Of course there will still be troops in Iraq for 20 years, we got the leases on their major oilfields signed and have to 'protect ourcorporationsinterests'.
We still have troops in Japan and Germany from WWII.
Much is at stake as the [State] department negotiates with the Pentagon over acquiring enough Black Hawk helicopters, bomb-resistant vehicles and other heavy gear to outfit its own protection force in Iraq.
The United States is turning over much of future development work in Iraq to the State Department, which has asked for between $2-3 billion annually to help fund everything from new consulates to training Iraqi police.