Posted By:
Catherine Moy
Permalink

A quick withdrawal from Iraq may be more difficult that President-elect Barack Obama led Americans to believe in his campaign. A top officer says that complete withdrawal will take several years.

The Washington Post reports:

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 17, 2008; 4:43 PM

The U.S. military would require two to three years to remove its roughly 150,000 troops and equipment from Iraq safely, and the timing of that withdrawal should be based on security conditions on the ground, the nation’s top military officer said today.

“To remove the entire force would be, you know, two to three years,” Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.

While Mullen said that he and the top commanders for Iraq and the region, Gen. Ray Odierno and Gen. David Petraeus, were “comfortable” with the status of forces agreement signed with Iraq today, he described some logistical hurdles to a U.S. troop withdrawal along a fixed timeline.

“We have 150,000 troops in Iraq right now. We have lots of bases. We have an awful lot of equipment that’s there. And so we would have to look at all of that tied to, obviously, the conditions that are there, literally the security conditions,” he said.

“Clearly, we’d want to be able to do it safely.”

Asked about a requirement that U.S. troops move out of Iraqi cities by mid-2009, Mullen said the gradual shift from urban areas has been the practice as Iraqi forces take responsibility for security in different provinces. But he said the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and northern city of Mosul were likely to pose special challenges.

“Turning the security of Baghdad over in that requirement will be a big challenge,” he said. “The other that is clearly not secure up north is Mosul. And we continue to be in a pretty tough fight up in Mosul,” he said.

Mullen emphasized that he still believes any U.S. troop reductions should be based on the levels of violence in Iraq - a position that runs counter to the official Iraqi stance.

It is important that the incoming administration forego kneejerk reactions to appease those who voted for Barack Obama. Obama must keep America’s safety as his No. 1 priority. That may preclude him from yanking troops out at a whim.

Posted By:
Catherine Moy
Permalink

The U.S.-Iraq pact that says American troops will be out of Iraqi cities by next summer, has received a pass from a top Iraqi cleric, but irritated America’s sworn enemy, Iran. The Voice of America reports:

Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric says any agreement on U.S. troops in Iraq must restore the nation’s full sovereignty.

But Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a statement Tuesday indicating he would not get deeply involved in the issue and leave passage of the deal to lawmakers.

The influential cleric spoke as parliament debated an agreement signed Monday between the U.S. and Iraq that would see all American troops out in three years.

If approved, the agreement would replace a U.N. mandate governing the U.S. presence.

U.S. and Iraqi officials say the agreement is a firm commitment, but add the pact could be renegotiated.

In Iran, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani Tuesday criticized the deal, saying Washington wants to strengthen U.S. hegemony in Iraq.

On Monday, the head of Iran’s judiciary, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, said he hopes the deal will benefit Islam and the sovereignty of Iraq.

The agreement comes six weeks before the current U.N. mandate is set to expire. It also follows the transfer to Iraq of security responsibilities in many of its provinces as violence declined sharply over the past year.

The deal would give Iraq authority over U.S. military operations for the first time, requiring the U.S. military to ask permission to search homes, and banning American use of Iraqi territory to launch attacks on third countries.

It also would give Iraq some judicial oversight of serious crimes committed by U.S. soldiers while off-base and off-duty.

Posted By:
Catherine Moy
Permalink

President-Elect Barack Obama wants to bolster troops in Afghanistan, a move that will further inflame the Taliban terrorists that have waged war on America since Sept. 11, 2001. The Voice of America reports on the situation:

Taliban militants on Monday rejected an offer to hold peace talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, saying there can be no talks while foreign troops are in the country.

On Sunday, Mr. Karzai offered to provide security for the Taliban’s reclusive leader, Mullah Omar, even if it means defying Afghanistan’s international partners.

The Afghan leader suggested that if the United States and other nations disagree, they can remove him or leave the country.

Mr. Karzai has long supported talks with any Taliban faction that accepts the Afghan constitution and renounces al-Qaida.

In Washington, officials at both the White House and State Department said political reconciliation in Afghanistan is desirable, but that there is no sign the Taliban is ready to turn away from violence.

In other news Monday, at least seven people were killed in two separate bomb attacks in southern Kandahar province.

Local officials say two police officers and a civilian were killed, and at least two other policemen wounded, in a suicide attack at the entrance to a government office in Dand district.

In Kandahar’s Panjwayi district, a bomb explosion near an Afghan Army patrol killed four civilians and wounded eight others.

No one has claimed responsibility for either attack.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

Posted By:
Catherine Moy
Permalink

AP Photo: A service member fills out an absentee ballot in Bagram, Afghanistan. Troops, aid workers and military contractors overseas sent in ballots in record numbers this past election.

Even as Barack Obama prepares to take over the White House, Sen. John McCain is fighting to ensure the votes of deployed troops are counted.

The Air Force Times has the story here.

RICHMOND, Va. — A hearing is set for Monday on a lawsuit that seeks to compel Virginia election officials to count late absentee ballots from U.S. troops serving overseas.

Republican John McCain’s presidential campaign is suing the State Board of Elections, claiming absentee ballots weren’t mailed on time to military members in foreign countries. A 1986 federal law requires ballots to be mailed to those troops at least 45 days before the election, which this year would have been Sept. 20.

The complaint asks the U.S. District Court in Richmond to order the board to count any overseas absentee ballots sent by Nov. 4 and received as late as Friday.

It is a sad day in America when a lawsuit has to pave the way for our troops’ votes to count. Where is Obama on this? Why hasn’t he put his resources toward ensuring this vote? House Speaker Nancy Pelosi?

Move America Foward sounded the alarm on this problem earlier this year. We sent Hero Voter packets to our troops overseas to help them get their vote in on time. But Congress and the president must change the way our troops vote so they can do so with ease. They fight and die for our country. It is stunning and unAmerican when they cannot vote.

If you know of a soldier, Marine, sailor, airmen or Coastie who could not vote because they were deployed, please send the story and details to me at Catmoy@moveamericaforward.org.

I am also working as a Fairfield City Councilwoman to move legislation. I need your help so we can help our troops. Please send me your stories with as many details as possible.

Again, my email is Catmoy@moveamericaforward.org.

Posted By:
Catherine Moy
Permalink

Meet Angelia Phillips, Gold Star Mother Of SPC Micheal “Pokey” Phillips, KIA 24 Feb. 2008, Baghdad Iraq.
This past weekend, this brave mother met her late son’s company. The strength of Angelia shows what gives Warriors their tenacity, vision and love of our country. I want to thank Angelia for raising a hero, and for being a hero herself. As we approach Thanksgiving, we must never forget our troops, their families and the loved ones who will always have an empty seat at their table because a troop gave his life for our country.

Here’s some of Angelia’s blog:

On Nov. 11th we packed our car and loaded up the family to head to Ft. Campbell. The men my son served with were on their way home from Iraq and I was finally going to get to meet and hug these men who have become so important in my life.

As we drove on Veteran’s Day I thought about how lucky the people in this country are to have the men and women of our military. Between it being Veterans day and where we were heading I had no choice but to see things from a perspective most Americans fail to look at. We drove without fear of IEDs. There were no check points. We could stop along the way and not fear snipers or suicide bombers. When we were hungry we had a multitude of options. And I knew without a doubt that these freedoms and this security are due fully to the fact we have such an outstanding group of people who made the choice to wear the uniform and defend these things.

I realized also.. we have WON in Iraq. Yes we are still there. Yes there is still some fighting. But it is safer in Iraq for American troops than civilians in Chicago these days. The foundation of what we set out to do is set. Our goals met and the lives of the Iraq people will be better. They are now tasting freedom. And anyone that wants to argue and diminish that victory and take that from these men and my son can try. But facts are facts. No one but these men and their leaders can claim that victory.

As I watched the plane filled with America’s finest land my heart leap and broke all in the same moment. I knew that from my son’s Company he would be the only one not walking off that plane. But in a way few will ever comprehend, the last part of my son did get off that plane. His spirit is in each of them and with them he came home too.

Please go to her blog for the complete entry. Every American should read it.