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Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans

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In an interview with SPIEGEL, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Barack Obama's 16 timeframe for a withdrawal from Iraq is the right one.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Maliki was careful to back away from outright support for Obama. "Of course, this is by no means an election endorsement. Who they choose as their president is the Americans' business," he said. But then, apparently referring to Republican candidate John McCain's more open-ended Iraq policy, Maliki said: "Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic. Artificially prolonging the tenure of US troops in Iraq would cause problems."

Iraq, Maliki went on to say, "would like to see the establishment of a long-term strategic treaty with the United States, which would govern the basic aspects of our economic and cultural relations." He also emphasized though that the security agreement between the two countries should only "remain in effect in the short term."

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unclepete

3 responses // Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans

  • the sooner, the better
    lfm
    • lfm
    • 2 months ago
  • But McCain is the "national security" candidate? Obama has been talking about Afghanistan since the early primaries. Now McCain wants to send three more brigades there. Where does he get those brigades without an Iraq draw down?

    Obama has said 16 months for a year on an Iraq timetable ("horizon" according to the administration). He has also quite fairly accepted that the situation on the ground will dictate the possibilities and that 16 months is only a blueprint. But that is heresy to McCain I guess. According to the war hero, you have to leave the political strategy to the commanders on the ground with absolutely no direction from Washington. Why does McCain fear being a leader? Or more specifically, why does McCain think Islamic fundamentalism is the transcendent battle of our time?

    Obama has been steadfast in his ability to think and speak rationally about war and relations with the Arab world. Talking about the "War on Terror" as if the crusade is once again upon us will only hasten the consolidation of militancy through the Wahhabist ideology. It is only a reaction to the globalized order of the secular dominated modern world. The battles will fade away with time through economic growth and discussion. Liberty is the natural order of man. But it cannot be forced upon any society, so . . . Why is McCain so naive?

    But McCain will spend all his time misrepresenting Obama, just as his surrogates (conservative leaning pundits at the least) will. They dominate the news channels during the week and on Sunday. It's naive according to McCain to specifically target high level Al-Qaeda operatives in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, otherwise known as Peshawar. Why is that naive? Is it a violation of their sovereignty? The US military has done it many times since the beginning of the Afghan war, but when Obama speaks it only proves naivety I guess.

    Let's see how the MSM plays this one.
    JudahEvan
  • practically the whole world supports obama, except israel.

    how interesting that the media is still playing to mccain.
    jh64487

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