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

It is time.

We should withdraw our troops from Iraq, as soon as is practical. Entering was a mistake, and not leaving before now was a bigger mistake. We have spent untold money and American lives helping a country that simply does not like us.

Iran will then take over Iraq (they pretty much have politically). Russia and Iran will construct an oil pipeline from Russia, through Iran, and on to Syria. They will have an oil port in the Mediterranean. So be it. We are oil-sufficient now.

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. We have to be vigil and ready for the spark that is to come.

For the poster above who mentioned the dragon going back to sleep... just because the dragon is in his cave, it does not follow he is asleep. We cannot isolate ourselves as we did before WWII, but neither can we afford to be the policeman for a world that doesn't want us.

The time of the US as the global protector of all is over. It's time to let the rest of the world sink or swim.

TheRedneck

a reply to: UKTruth

It was a hostile occupation, wasn't it??
And, this isnt the first time Iraq's govt has asked us to leave.. and trump and his gang has been knocking Obama's decision to pull back troops when Iraq did the first time. Leaving a small number to assist in training and such. Remember, we should have took their oil for reimbursement?
Why he thinks they should pay us back for invading their country, bombing their cities, creating a generation of kids suffering severe birth defects I have no idea.. but he does..
Let's see if he does what hes criticized obama for. Let's see how serious he is about his promise to bring our troops home. My guess would be it is does happen, you will see russian troops coming in with their allies as we leave.

a reply to: Ahabstar

You forgot to add:

Stop all assistance and/or aid of ANY kind.

No cash, no infrastructure, no docrors/medicine.

See how long it takes for people to start behaving.

a reply to: UKTruth


Exactly, bring them all home and build some nice bases on the borders and if there is a need to have a presence in some of those areas do it with a carrier group. The amount of money we are pumping into these foreign countries is crazy. I am all for a strong military but I think it is time to invest in it and keep it home.

These countries are not gaining anything in terms of freedom or knowledge by us staying there. If the citizens want a change the only way it will ever last or have any real meaning is if they stand up and fight for themselves. It will not be a pretty situation in some of these countries but in the long term it will be a better situation for everyone.

a reply to: Notoneofyou

Absolutely stop all foreign aid to any country that does not want us.

We need a Federal law that states that foreign aid to another sovereign country may be rendered only in one of two circumstances:

• That country allows the US to station troops and bases there should the need arise (no, I am not saying set up bases everywhere that receives foreign aid), and works with the US government openly to combat terrorism and aggression, or
  
  
• Under special approval by Congress in cases of extreme humanitarian crisis, except that no humanitarian aid shall be granted under any circumstances to any nation which participates in terrorism or aggression, or who has asked the US to leave within the last 10 years.

We'll save a fortune on foreign aid and I'd bet we all would be amazed at how many countries suddenly decide they like us.

TheRedneck

a reply to: UKTruth

Lol.. we attacked iraq because of 9/11.. only to find that the had nothing to do with 9/11. The attackers we Saudis, bin laden and his gang were mostly Saudis, and the taliban was propped up by saudi money.
And you think that the Saudis are gonna let us stay there while we sit on our butt and let county after country fall into chaos as the two branches of Islam either clash or join forces because of their dislike of isreal? Same goes for Kuwait and the other countries who happen to allow us to have bases on their land. How much pressure do you think little Qatar will endure, how many bombings, before they give in and kick us out after we labeled them a terrorist country and threatened to sanction them or whatever we threatened them with. Throwing the Kurds under the bus should show all of them just reliable we arent. Isreal is a rather small country, how many airfields and bases you think we can fit into it?

a reply to: Agit8dChop

While I mostly support the idea of leaving Iraq - we have sunk billions and billions into infrastructure there, including massive bases and a bunch of other infrastructure.

Any deal to leave should include some money from Iraq as a payback for these investments - although I do realize asking for more than a few percent of our investment is unrealistic - nonetheless they should agree to pay us something.

a reply to: proximo

Agreed, they should pay us back and if they refuse then we demolish the bases and cut our losses before we leave. There is absolutely no way we will get the full value out of anything over there, it will all depend on what type of agreement is set in place. If we need to take a complete loss I am fine as long as we leave nothing behind.

a reply to: proximo

I think if we leave, there is a good chance that it will be hostile forces using those bases..
Forget the money, level the bases.

As longas ole Iran is there we wil never ever ever everevrwrvervwr leave Iraq, call it illegals occupation or just rude behavior , don’t knows don’t cares , is will never leave

2 pages of speculation if nobody can confirm the phone call was real.

originally posted by: Trueman
2 pages of speculation if nobody can confirm the phone call was real.

He's not really the prime minister to begin with, and doesn't really have the authority to make this request. Im not sure it matters to begin with.

Once Iraq has a PM that isn't provisional, the discussion can begin.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

But, this is our chance!! They want us to leave!! Trump wants to leave!! Bring home our troops!! They need a rest!

originally posted by: TheRedneck
It is time.

We should withdraw our troops from Iraq, as soon as is practical. Entering was a mistake, and not leaving before now was a bigger mistake. We have spent untold money and American lives helping a country that simply does not like us.

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.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan
That's right. All bogus when starts with "a phone call".

It's an article made of air. Idk if the guy agreed with all or that journalist just used his name and he got paid.

originally posted by: Trueman
2 pages of speculation if nobody can confirm the phone call was real.

Al Jazeera is like ATS of the Arab world:

Iraqi parliament calls for expulsion of foreign troops

The link should now be correct.

"Iraq's parliament has passed a resolution calling on the government to expel foreign troops from the country as Iran-US tensions escalate following the killing of a top Iranian military commander and Iraqi armed group leader in a US strike in Baghdad."

They don't want us there that's good enough for me!!!!

Now this would be brilliant 3D foreign policy chess by Trump if he intentionally killed General Salami to get political cover for withdrawing and bringing the troops home from the Middle East.

a reply to: Trueman

Didn't Iraq's entire parliament vote to expel the U.S. from Iraq the other day? The last I heard, a couple of telephone calls were made after the vote and then a prime minister started walking back his statements. I think the U.S. gave Iraq some intel on Iran that made them start to reconsider.

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: dawnstar
a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

But, this is our chance!! They want us to leave!! Trump wants to leave!! Bring home our troops!! They need a rest!

I agree.

Not sure what's going to happen, but here's another attempt at an explanation on what's going on as of January 7th...

He said it was a draft which was poorly worded, had not been signed and should not have been released. It was being circulated for input, including from Iraqis.

"[The letter] was sent over to some key Iraqi military guys in order to get things co-ordinated for air movements, etc. Then it went from that guy's hands to another guy's hands and then it went to your hands. Now it's a kerfuffle."

Gen Milley reiterated that US troops were not leaving.
So what is happening?

Gen Milley said the issue was being "worked" with the Iraqis, but gave no details.

BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said he had been told by a coalition source that the letter was to let the Iraqis know the US was moving troops out of the Green Zone to provide protection elsewhere and did not mean a withdrawal.

This has been backed up by other coalition sources, telling separate reporters that the move was to "thin out" the Baghdad personnel.

www.bbc.com...