US

Report: U.S. Abandoning Plans to Keep Troops in Iraq Next Year

Report: U.S. Abandoning Plans to Keep Troops in Iraq Next Year

AP

BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.S. is abandoning plans to keep U.S. troops in Iraq past a year-end withdrawal deadline, The Associated Press has learned. The decision to pull out fully by January will effectively end more than eight years of U.S. involvement in the Iraq war, despite ongoing concerns about its security forces and the potential for instability.

The decision ends months of hand-wringing by U.S. officials over whether to stick to a Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline that was set in 2008 or negotiate a new security agreement to ensure that gains made and more than 4,400 American military lives lost since March 2003 do not go to waste.

In recent months, Washington has been discussing with Iraqi leaders the possibility of several thousand American troops remaining to continue training Iraqi security forces.

But a senior Obama administration official in Washington confirmed Saturday that all American troops will leave Iraq except for about 160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.

A senior U.S. military official confirmed the departure and said the withdrawal could allow future but limited U.S. military training missions in Iraq if requested.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Throughout the discussions, Iraqi leaders have adamantly refused to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, and the Americans have refused to stay without it. Iraq’s leadership has been split on whether it wanted American forces to stay. Some argued the further training and U.S. help was vital, particularly to protect Iraq’s airspace and gather security intelligence. But others have deeply opposed any American troop presence, including Shiite militiamen who have threatened attacks on any American forces who remain.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has told U.S. military officials that he does not have the votes in parliament to provide immunity to the American trainers, the U.S. military official said.

A western diplomatic official in Iraq said al-Maliki told international diplomats he will not bring the immunity issue to parliament because lawmakers will not approve it.

Iraqi lawmakers excel at last-minute agreements. But with little wiggle room on the immunity issue and the U.S. military needing to move equipment out as soon as possible, a last-minute change between now and December 31 seems almost out of the question.

Regardless of whether U.S. troops are here or not, there will be a massive American diplomatic presence.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is the largest in the world, and the State Department will have offices in Basra, Irbil and Kirkuk as well as other locations around the country where contractors will train Iraqi forces on U.S. military equipment they’re purchasing.

About 5,000 security contractors and personnel will be tasked with helping protect American diplomats and facilities around the country, the State Department has said.

The U.S. Embassy will still have a handful of U.S. Marines for protection and 157 U.S. military personnel in charge of facilitating weapons sales to Iraq. Those are standard functions at most American embassies around the world and would be considered part of the regular embassy staff.

When the 2008 agreement requiring all U.S. forces leave Iraq was passed, many U.S. officials assumed it would inevitably be renegotiated so that American forces could stay longer.

The U.S. said repeatedly this year it would entertain an offer from the Iraqis to have a small force stay behind, and the Iraqis said they would like American military help. But as the year wore on and the number of American troops that Washington was suggesting could stay behind dropped, it became increasingly clear that a U.S. troop presence was not a sure thing.

The issue of legal protection for the Americans was the deal-breaker.

Iraqis are still angry over incidents such as the Abu Ghraib prison scandal or Haditha, when U.S. troops killed Iraqi civilians in Anbar province, and want American troops subject to Iraqi law.

American commanders don‘t want to risk having their forces end up in an Iraqi courtroom if they’re forced to defend themselves in a still-hostile environment.

It is highly unlikely that Iraqi lawmakers would have the time to approve a U.S. troop deal even if they wanted to. The parliament is in recess on its Hajj break until Nov. 20, leaving just a few weeks for legislative action before the end of year deadline.

Going down to zero by the end of this year would allow both al-Maliki and President Barack Obama to claim victory. Obama will have fulfilled a key campaign promise to end the war and al-Maliki will have ended the American presence in Iraq and restored Iraqi sovereignty.

The Iraqi prime minister was also under intense pressure from his anti-American allies, the Sadrists, to reject any American military presence.

An advisor close to al-Maliki said the Americans suggested during negotiations that if no deal is reached in time, U.S. troops could be stationed in Kuwait.

With the U.S. military presence in Iraq currently at about 41,000 and heading down to zero, almost all of those forces will be flowing out of Iraq into Kuwait and then home or other locations.

A western expert in Iraq said it is conceivable that if the Iraqi government asks early next year for U.S. troops to return, there will be forces still in Kuwait able to come back and do the job.

But he stressed that the core problems still remain on the Iraqi side about what types of legal immunity to give the American troops and whether parliament can pass it.

Last month, a report emerged that Obama had decided on a major withdrawal to scale down the number of troops to 3,000 by the end of the year. The White House denied the report within hours, saying there would be no announcement of a major withdrawal.

This post has been updated since it was first posted.

Comments (83)

1 2
  • sbenard
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 9:06pm

    I’m sure this had NOTHING (tongue-in-cheek and fingers crossed) to do with the fact that 2012 is a election year! What kind of imbeciles would be so easily deceived by the Deceiver in Chief? Literally EVERYTHING he is doing now is calculated toward reelection!

    Report Post » sbenard  
    • CottonMPG
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 9:42pm

      Well I thought all our troops came home six months after Obama took office.

      Report Post » CottonMPG  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 9:56pm

      sbenard
      Yes it will be an election year & it has everything to do with the election.

      But nature abhors a vacuum is an axiom of the real world. It just a matter when sh_t hits the fan, before the election of afterwards.

      Obama might be a shrewd politician but that is worlds apart from being a great statesman.

      America & the world need a great U.S. statesman & he is not it.

      Every day Khomenei is less afraid if the U.S. every day.

      Report Post »  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on October 16, 2011 at 6:37am

      Bring them home and put them on our southern boarder. Period

      Report Post »  
    • w4rpedfr4me
      Posted on October 16, 2011 at 10:24am

      Desperation makes for stinky cologne, Barry.

      Report Post » w4rpedfr4me  
  • DaveOregon
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 8:01pm

    Sorry – I was all for getting rid of Saddam – with or without WMD – once he gassed the Kurds. BUT I never agreed with trying to rebuild it. You can’t rebuild a county where the people hate you and their whole religion is the polar opposite of your own countries – including laws and rights. Japan is not a comparison – nor is Germany – to Iraq. We should have take nSaddam out and then moved the military to Kurdistan or top 1/3rd of Iraq as a quelling force – and left them (Iraq) to their own devices. The other 1/3rd or more should have gone right through Syria and take that regime down. Held the Coast and pointed weapons at Libya and Lebanon and used that as “holding” area like we used Germany against Russia. Since we blew that scenario – I’m for getting the troops out. It has become a boondoogle that just keeps on giving! Afghanistan too. We’d be better off with troops home and begin the rebuilding for the eventual battle with Islam coming in the next 10-15 years. Don’t say we need Iraqi oil and pipeline through Afghanistan – we could remove the need if we simply utilized our own resources here in the US. The troops did good work – God love’m and bless them – but it’s time to bring them home. Saudi Arabia can go to hell frankyl – we should have bombed them – it was Saudi’s that took down the towers and are main supporter of terrorists through the royal family- if we wanted a war with oil – THAT is the one we should have had – not Iraq!

    Report Post »  
    • colt1860
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 8:14pm

      You’re absolutely right. We chose the wrong battles, all for expedience for pertending we would be much safer. I’m all for going to war to keep our national interests secure. But being in Iraq and the Middle East this long at our expense, for what? Oil? We should drill here. The Saudi’s are much more of a threat to us. If we keep these liberal in office, we will always be dependent on forein nations for our resources. Enough is enough. I’m afraid though, that we’ll be back (as YepImConservative pointed out) and not fix anything. Hopefully, by then, we have a competent federal administration to deal with this whole mess. One other thing to consider. Iraq was going to stop using our US dollars, right before the war. Now, Iran is saying the same thing, they want to stop using US dollars and use hard money and commodities instead. I smell the international bankers in this. God help us.

      Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 10:04pm

      DaveOregon

      I like your thinking

      “BUT I never agreed with trying to rebuild it”

      Compare that to Colin Powell’s statement of “if you break it, you own it.”

      Any president following Powell’s logic is setting the U.S. up for failure. & What is worse is Powell stabbed Bush in the back & Libby too. He knew who leaked Valerie Plame’s name & it wasn’t Libby. Colin Powell is TRASH. & so are his ideals.

      Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 10:19pm

      “We’d be better off with troops home and begin the rebuilding for the eventual battle with Islam coming in the next 10-15 years”

      You can never win using a perpetual defense. No boxer ever has. No one has.

      You can win with a defensive posture, wait for the enemy to expend themselves before switching to offense.
      __________________________________________________________________

      Is the Saudi family supporting terrorism? What does that mean? Is it 1,000 individuals out of 36,000? Would that be justification? It might be. Of the other 25,000 some might not know what other are doing, some might not care or turn a blind eye.

      What does wiki leaks tell us? I do know that some radical mullahs were given free chopper rides to the Empty Quarter.

      Report Post »  
    • db321
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 11:15pm

      Hey Walk About – love your predictions of Battling Islam in 10 to 15 years – The Bible predict it much sooner, like say 2 to 3 months from now. And it will be headed up by our Muslim and Chief.

      Report Post » db321  
  • garyM
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 7:19pm

    This is a portion of the plan in the revolution. The only reason we have been in Iraq is so we don’t have to fight them on our soil. I don’t know of anyone that really wants us to be there if it were not necessary. Iran will take Iraq over after we leave and there you go. It’s all part of the Muslim brotherhood plan and they have people planted in our government to carry out their plans! I hope all the liberal democrat men and women, the gays and crooks enjoy martial law knowing they helped bring it about! They’ll dodge the bullet confessing they belong to allah to save their butt and deny the one and only true God but their lifestyles will take them out just as the Christians and Jews refusing to praise allah. Only difference is,, where they will spend eternity for their rejection of Christ!

    Report Post »  
  • a1g2
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 7:02pm

    hmmm…just think, its the 21st century and we’re still fighting over the tigris and euphrates, gee, i hope those folks stop fighting after 6000 years, otherwise, our soldiers have died for NOTHING.

    Report Post »  
  • TomFerrari
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 6:53pm

    I wonder what they will think when they see what we have let obama do to our country
    which they have been fighting and dying for ?
    I think they will be ROYALLY P!$$3D ! I would !

    Do you GBTV? – I sure do!

    Report Post » TomFerrari  
  • TomFerrari
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 6:50pm

    Bribe the whole “anti-military” crowd for votes.
    He will use it to brag, “I brought the troops home” while leaving the door wide open.
    POLITICALLY BASED DECISION.
    NO way to govern ! ! !

    Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • colt1860
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 7:52pm

      Funny how everyone is worried about leaving the borders of Iraq wide open because Iran may come in. How about we keep our borders secure with our troops here at home so we can stop the invasion of foreign nationals comming in to our Nation illegaly? America first.

      Report Post »  
  • jeffnun
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 6:37pm

    Teep I am sorry but I am 45 and a life long Republican, as well as a veteran and I can say the GOP destroyed itself by acting just like the socialist across the isle, big govt, too many expenditures etc, the wars are only a medium size part of the party self-destruction. The GOP just uses different words and phrases to do it with. Still just as destructive.

    Report Post » jeffnun  
  • legendarytwo
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 6:18pm

    Obama is taunting the republicans, bypassing congress, and destabilizing the world. He knows he is black and republicans are too scared to impeach him for his outright disregard for the constitution.

    Report Post »  
  • P4cooler
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:26pm

    This is Obama making moves for his 2012 campaign. You know… he needs the right optics. Problem is when he reduces forces so thin, the remaining troops “have a target” on their backs. To jeopardize the safety of our military for his personal re-election chances is DESPICABLE.

    Report Post » P4cooler  
  • teep
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:25pm

    Let’s see, when Obama didnt pull the troops out, Glenn Beck called him a war monger. ow that he is pulling the troops out, he‘s ’abandoning’?

    Report Post »  
    • dalebrendan
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:31pm

      @TEEP

      Yes.. That is exactly what it makes him–both of those things. Have you not figured yet that Obama will play both sides of the fence for his own advantage, no matter the amount of wreckage?

      Report Post » dalebrendan  
    • sportlock
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 6:20pm

      Teep,

      I think you may have missed the point. Did you notice how many loans were approved by the DOE on the last day of the program? Weird how nobody had all their stuff together until the last day huh? Right after Solyndra went BK

      Now all the sudden we’ll be ready to pull out of Iraq, right before the 2012 elections?

      Report Post »  
  • republapig
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:04pm

    We should leave 3-4 thousand VOLUNTEERS at the southern port to protect contractors who will pump enough crude from the wells there to pay us back for giving them a new democracy. The volunteers should be paid double, and the rest of the troops placed on OUR southern border.

    Report Post » republapig  
    • teep
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:24pm

      If they are volunteers, you dont pay them. Even double.

      Report Post »  
    • YepImaConservative
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:36pm

      Our Military ARE volunteers TEEP (and should be paid double). I was part of that voluntary Enlistment program called… wait for it…. WAIT FOR IT… The All Volunteer Military. It came about after the draft. Lol.

      Leaving Iraq… big mistake. Mark my words… we’ll be back there (or right next door). I predicted it after the first Gulf War when we (I) was leaving.

      Report Post » YepImaConservative  
  • mbean
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:59pm

    Military decisions based upon Obama’s re-election bid in 2012. How many will have to die for his political decision making.

    Report Post » mbean  
    • teep
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:26pm

      How many will die if the President keeps them in a country that never attacked the United States?

      You neo-Conservatives have destroyed the Republican Party.

      Report Post »  
  • JOE
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:58pm

    Just make sure we take all our arms home too so iran or some Religous Cleric can use them for a war against us ……………

    Report Post » JOE  
  • proudamerican67
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:43pm

    I have to agree, no immunity…no support. The middle east is looking like a powder keg. It’s going to be very toxic here in the near future, I’m just hoping this administration is gone before it all goes down.

    Report Post » proudamerican67  
  • lukerw
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:36pm

    I want the Troops out of… Afganistan, Libya, Uganda (Congo; Sudan), Gernany, Japan… South Korea… but not Iraq, to protect the Oil Nations… and I want more Nukes (re North Korea, Iran, Russia, the Caliphate)!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • mamaleary
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:21pm

    Hope all those “diplomatic’ people staying have life insurance and have signed a “stay at your own risk” contract. Things are going to heat up and they will be targets, with or without our military there.

    Report Post »  
  • steveh931
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:13pm

    Good, bring our son’s and daughters home, the contractors too!

    Report Post » steveh931  
    • the hawk
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:38pm

      Let them have their sand,oil, blood, its not worthours Get OuT now ! f them !

      Report Post »  
    • Ookspay
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:42pm

      Ditto, bring ‘em all home NOW! Iran and Iraq will go back to war with each other and maybe the Islamicists will leave us alone for a while. We’d better get some domestic oil production going, we’re gonna need it.

      Report Post » Ookspay  
    • lukerw
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:47pm

      Yah… let Iran take over… and who cares about Saudi Arabia… or a Caliphate of Nations… or Israel?

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • CatB
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:47pm

      But will they bring them “home” or send them to Africa? Time will tell … but I don’t think Obama is going to bring them home and put them on the border here .. where they should be.

      Report Post »  
    • colt1860
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:01pm

      May God bless our troops and their families. We need God and his Peace back in our lives. We need to seek a righteous path and only engage in just wars for our defense.

      We should bring our troops home to secure our borders. Sending tens of thousands of our troops throughout the Middle East in the mayhem of religious and tyrannical nutcases, spreading our troops all over the world to bases we don’t necessarily need for any immediate or critical actions, sending our troops in harms way to foreign nations, separating our troops from their families and homeland to fight for global elitists and foreign interests, never having a strategy to actually win and end the war, allowing our troops to be used by foreign nations as their personal army for the protection of their borders and streets, threatening and planning further wars without true leadership or a competent federal administration, and using limitless amounts of money to maintain this empire resulting in huge debt and uncertainty for America’s next generation, is dismantling our military and destroying our Nation.

      We should not be using the lives, fortunes and sacred honor of our troops, that fight and have fought and died to protect the US and its people, to protect or advance the foreign interests of other Nations at the expense of our Liberty, wealth and National Security.

      Report Post »  
    • dalebrendan
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:36pm

      I want our soldiers home too! …but, not convinced this is a good move. By the way, where do you think all of the WMDs in Iraq went? …it’s not that they never existed; it is that they were smuggled out.

      Report Post » dalebrendan  
    • YepImaConservative
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 6:18pm

      >DALEBRENNAN. I agree. Remember, weapons of mass destruction are not only of the nuke type. We found plenty of WMD to include Saddam Hussein and his twisted sons. Can’t say where the nuke version of the WMD went… but there is a trail…

      If you want to know of the WMD that WAS found… just ask some Veteran Combat Engineers and Chemical Specialists.

      Report Post » YepImaConservative  
    • colt1860
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 6:51pm

      @YepImaConservative You’re right. The WMD’s went elsewhere. We warned Saddam we were coming. We basically gave him a safe exit out. That was not thought out well. This whole situation in the Middle East is an endless cat and mouse chase. Plus, we have an election every four years and no consistant plan. Unless we actully go in, blast the living daylights out of them, win and come back home, we’re just playing russian roulette with the lives of our troops. How is it that we’re still up against a third world militant group that trains in the desert on monkey bars? Going out will be a mistake, but only so far as, we digged ourselves in a hole and now can’t get out. I mean, we’re also talking about Islamo fascists here, an ideology. It‘s not a normal war we’re up against. And having diverse political divisions here at home doesn’t help out either. We should atleast rethink the whole dang thing again and make sure we don’t repeat it or further the confusion any longer. In my humble opinion.

      Report Post »  
    • YepImaConservative
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 7:35pm

      >COLT. Can’t much disagree with your humble opinion. In my humble opinion… we should not be cutting and running… regardless of what is being said, suggested or demanded by some Iraqi leaders, Sadr dead-enders or the assinine Obama Administration. We will have to return in the future… mark my words. And when we do return, we should be ready to totally annihilate the aforementioned Iraqi garbage and start from scratch just for making us have to come back to that Shiite hole!

      Report Post » YepImaConservative  
  • emertz8413
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:11pm

    I agree with Snowleopard, bring them all home. If we’re not going to fight to win, let’s not spill anymore American blood over there.

    Report Post »  
  • Ferrarello
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:01pm

    It’s about time…unfortunately it‘s because he’s going to need them to fight next door against Iran once Israel drops those new bunker busters. He’s sent 100 to Africa as advisers ( remember it was a handful of advisers in Viet Nam in the beginning ? ) then… only dropping congress a letter after the fact. Total dictatorship and no one is calling for impeachment ? We’re screwed.

    Report Post » Ferrarello  
    • lukerw
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:24pm

      The Senate has to Impeach… and it’s Democrats!!!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • colt1860
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 5:11pm

      We should start following the Constitution which says,

      “We the PEOPLE OF the US… insure DOMESTIC Tranquility, provide for the common DEFENSE… and SECURE the Blessings of Liberty TO OURSELVES and OUR POSTERITY… … do ordain and establish THIS CONSTITUTION… FOR the United STATES OF AMERICA.”

      Obviously, we’re not a global police force. We declared freedom and Independence for THESE united States of America. Our duty is to protect and defend this land and its inhabitants first. We will never be able to help out these other countries, financially or militarily. Our differences are an improtant factor to consider in the results we seek. These Middle Eastern countries don’t share or bare any resemblemce to our heritage, faith and government. We Americans are not going to babysit or take care of others at our expense. We declared freedom and INDEPENDENCE, I suggest they get on board and take care of themselves.

      Report Post »  
    • kevindean3
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 7:31pm

      Actually, the House has to impeach and the Senate holds the trial, either way, impeachment and removal is unlikely. Two Presidents have been impeached and neither was removed.

      Report Post » kevindean3  
  • tweet
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 3:53pm

    The Obama Administration is just going to hand it over to Iran which is all part of the plan against Israel.
    .

    Report Post »  
    • steveh931
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:21pm

      TWEET,
      I understand your point, but at some point if the people of Iraq want personal freedom they need to start fighting for it themselves. Israel faced that threat before the Iraq war was even started did it not? The United States needs to stand by and help Israel, when Israel ask us for our help.

      Report Post » steveh931  
  • capitalismrocks
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 3:44pm

    Good, put them on the border to stop all the drugs and illegals

    Report Post » capitalismrocks  
  • The_Almighty_Creestof
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 3:23pm

    I predict that Iraq will be back to a violent dictatorship and ruled by Sharia Law by mid 2015…if not sooner.

    If we are pulling the troops, I sure hope we are pulling all financial aid as well. They have enough money of their own in those oil wells.

    All these troops coming home may mean a reduction in force. Rather than creating more unemployment, they should add funds to the border patrol and give preference to filling those positions to our returning heroes.

    Report Post »  
    • sweetgold
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:43pm

      sooner

      Report Post » sweetgold  
    • sweetgold
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 4:46pm

      we need to let the Iraqui people to decide what they want. we need to have ALL Americans leave Irag.4,400 is enough.

      Report Post » sweetgold  
  • commonsenseguy
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 3:14pm

    unfortunately they will needed here, and they will have a hard decision to make.

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on October 15, 2011 at 3:12pm

    Got a better idea, brign them ALL HOME.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • vennoye
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 3:20pm

      I agree with you totally! It is going to get very ugly over there and we can’t stop it, so it is time to bring them home!!

      Report Post » vennoye  
    • NOBALONEY
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 3:46pm

      All U.S. Embassys have a complement of Marines.

      Report Post » NOBALONEY  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on October 15, 2011 at 6:28pm

      @snow
      I agree bring them home…but I wonder what he‘s planning to do with them once they’re here. Like others have said, I think our troops will have some hard decisions to make in the near future.

      Report Post »  
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