American Troops won't stay in Iraq after January

[badwolf.usmc]

Report: U.S. won’t keep any troops in Iraq - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

An anonymous source at the white house says that other than embassy staff and ~160 troops at the embassy, all other American troops will be pulled out.

 

[rambone]

W.H. rebuts Iraq troops report

The Obama administration is knocking down a report that all but a small security force will be pulled from Iraq by the end of the year, saying instead that discussions are still ongoing.

 

[wabash]

it would be a challenge to remove 40.000 troops and their equipment in 2.5 months.

 

[Chefcook]

I'll believe it when I see it...

 

[chandler10r1]

Didn't Obama already say this before?

 

[ZombieApocolypse]

Didn't Obama already say this before?

Before the "surge?"

 

[j706]

I think its time to pull them out myself. My son is there for his second time. They are providing site security at various FOB's while they get took apart by hired locals.

 

[mrjarrell]

It's all hinging on whether the Iraqis will allow the US troops to be granted immunity for their actions. Frankly, I hope the Iraqis stand their ground. Off the top of my head I can't think of any other country where US military personnel have immunity for committing crimes or atrocities. If one of them does something in Iraq that would put them before an Iraqi court then that should be the norm, as it is in other countries. If the US can't accept that then they should pull all the troops out, (which they should be doing anyway).

 

[rambone]

Pentagon denies decision to quit Iraq after 2011

The Pentagon denied reports Saturday that the US military has given up on plans to keep several thousand troops in Iraq after a year-end deadline, saying talks with Baghdad were still underway.

US and Iraq officials have been negotiating a possible American military training mission of about 4,000 troops after 2011, but a dispute over legal protections for the US forces has jeopardized the security agreement.

 

[j706]

It's all hinging on whether the Iraqis will allow the US troops to be granted immunity for their actions. Frankly, I hope the Iraqis stand their ground. Off the top of my head I can't think of any other country where US military personnel have immunity for committing crimes or atrocities. If one of them does something in Iraq that would put them before an Iraqi court then that should be the norm, as it is in other countries. If the US can't accept that then they should pull all the troops out, (which they should be doing anyway).

No American soldier should be tried in any foreign country for any alleged crime in a war zone. Those things are best handled by the UCMJ. It has to be that way. Kind of like US soldiers don't serve under any foreign command.

 

[Kagnew]

Hmmm. I haven't seen much mention of how many DoD civilians and contractor employees we're sending to both Iraq and Afghanistan. (And I guarantee they're getting paid more than the green-suiters they're replacing.)

 

[rambone]

Hmmm. I haven't seen much mention of how many DoD civilians and contractor employees we're sending to both Iraq and Afghanistan.

I read recently that it was about a 1:1 ratio, contractors to enlisted.

 

[jeremy]

I read recently that it was about a 1:1 ratio, contractors to enlisted.

If I were a betting man, I would be willing to place a Wager that in Iraq it is closer to 5:1. Contractors to Enlisted. And in Afghanistan I would be willing to drop a safe bet of 2:1...

But I am not a betting man...

 

[jeremy]

It's all hinging on whether the Iraqis will allow the US troops to be granted immunity for their actions. Frankly, I hope the Iraqis stand their ground. Off the top of my head I can't think of any other country where US military personnel have immunity for committing crimes or atrocities. If one of them does something in Iraq that would put them before an Iraqi court then that should be the norm, as it is in other countries. If the US can't accept that then they should pull all the troops out, (which they should be doing anyway).

Uhhhh....

Actually, there are SOFA (Status of Forces Agreements) with almost every Country that we are in, minus of course the ones that we are actively engaged in Hostilities with, of course.

Depending on the Crime Committed most will place the Service-member back at the mercy of the Military....

Diplomacy...

 

[jeremy]

it would be a challenge to remove 40.000 troops and their equipment in 2.5 months.

It is possible to move Troops in that time frame, but WTH are you going to do with them all when they get back to Kuwait for one?!
Plus WTH are you going to do with all the Equipment that will be left in place as well?!

 

[ZombieApocolypse]

Plus WTH are you going to do with all the Equipment that will be left in place as well?!

Enter: Lord of war

 

[medic67]

If I were a betting man, I would be willing to place a Wager that in Iraq it is closer to 5:1. Contractors to Enlisted. And in Afghanistan I would be willing to drop a safe bet of 2:1...

But I am not a betting man...

Not sure of the numbers but I doubt you are far off. I wont give numbers I am aware of, they push them through pretty fast to head overseas.

 

[Kagnew]

Not sure of the numbers but I doubt you are far off. I wont give numbers I am aware of, they push them through pretty fast to head overseas.

Looks as if someone else works at Atterbury!

What cracks me up (in addition to all the one's whose "character" would appear questionable) is how many native Afghans and Iraqis are shipped over here to be "processed" and then sent back overseas. I'm thinking that there must be somebody in the Middle East (or Europe, for sure) who knows the drill. Ah, yes. Our tax dollars at work!

 

[medic67]

Looks as if someone else works at Atterbury!

Yes I do, one of my favorite jobs!

I will agree with you on your observation. I look at some of them and think WTF? Desperation?
The second part of your observation is dead on too. How much money do we spend to process indigenous persons to go back?

 

[gunowner930]

It's all hinging on whether the Iraqis will allow the US troops to be granted immunity for their actions. Frankly, I hope the Iraqis stand their ground. Off the top of my head I can't think of any other country where US military personnel have immunity for committing crimes or atrocities. If one of them does something in Iraq that would put them before an Iraqi court then that should be the norm, as it is in other countries. If the US can't accept that then they should pull all the troops out, (which they should be doing anyway).

Do you trust the Iraqi justice system to administer fair trials to foreign occupiers? This is still a war, not US troops misbehaving in bars on liberty. Civilians get killed in wars, it's that simple and you can minimize but not prevent that from occuring. It's disgusting to think that Iraqi courts could charge a member of our armed forces anytime an innocent Iraqi is killed. US troops may have immunity from Iraqi courts as they should but they are still prosecuted for atrocities under the UCMJ.

In what military engagement have we ever allowed foreign courts to try US troops for actions committed in combat?