Biden reveals why the Obama administration abandoned Iraq

[k98nights]

Biden reveals why the Obama administration abandoned Iraq

11:09 AM 01/24/2013

David Meyers

Freelance Writer

In December 2011, President Obama withdrew all U.S. troops from Iraq after failing to negotiate a new Status of Forces Agreement with the fledgling democracy. Many military advisers, government officials, and Iraqi leaders opposed Obama’s decision, fearing it would diminish America’s influence in Iraq, destabilize the country, and damage America’s interests in the region. In the past year, many of these fears have come to fruition.

President Obama’s decision was irresponsible, and motivated largely by politics. Obama opposed the Iraq war from day one, and wanted a political victory to bandy about on the campaign trail. By withdrawing all U.S. troops from Iraq, he could boast, as he did repeatedly, that he had ended the war. Vice President Biden recently gave a telling interview to the New York Times Magazine, where he gushed about telling the president, “Thank you for giving me the chance to end this goddamn war.”

This quote is the epitome of the Obama administration’s policy: passion and politics over careful and strategic thinking.

Like Obama, Biden opposed the war from the beginning, opposed the surge (Biden’s bold idea was to partition the country), and wanted to wash his hands of Iraq, regardless of the consequences. Unfortunately, the Obama administration did this by undermining eight years of progress in Iraq, and harming America’s interests in the region.

Immediately after the U.S. withdrawal, Prime Minister Maliki moved quickly to consolidate power and stifle dissent. He began to crack down on Sunni and Kurdish leaders, dissident Shiites, and opposition groups. He ordered the arrests of scores of people on dubious charges, including Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi. Thousands of Maliki’s opponents are in jail, and tens of thousands are in the streets protesting his authoritarian tactics. Meanwhile, terror attacks by al-Qaida affiliates — which are trying to capitalize on this sectarian strife — are on the rise. The situation was much better in December 2011; Iraq is clearly on a downward trajectory and is on a dangerous precipice of sectarian conflict.

Iraq is also causing other headaches for the United States. Recent reports indicate that Iraqi airspace may have been used to ship weapons to Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria (a claim that Iraq denies). And Iraq has been cultivating stronger ties with Iran, undermining the efforts of America and its Arab partners to isolate Tehran until it abandons its nuclear weapons program.

Would Prime Minister Maliki have been bold enough to take all of these actions if there was still a sizable contingent of U.S. forces in Iraq? Probably not. And would Iraq’s Sunnis and Kurds, who are demanding fair treatment and equality under the law, have felt emboldened by the presence of U.S. forces? Probably so.

Why, then, did Obama barely lift a finger to maintain a U.S. troop presence in Iraq? Because he was making policy based on his political promises and beliefs, not the situation on the ground.

Between August and December 2011, only three U.S. service members in Iraq were killed by hostile fire (one in September and two in November). These deaths cannot be taken for granted. But they show how rare violence against U.S. forces had become. And if Obama had only left a small contingent of U.S. forces with a limited training and supervisory mission, this casualty figure may have dropped to zero.

To many Americans, this would have been an acceptable situation. U.S. troops would have been safe, and would have served as a stabilizing influence, just as they did in post-war Japan and Germany. And the money we would have spent on such a force would have been well worth it, given that the alternative was losing eight years of progress in Iraq (progress that came at the expense of 4,000 American lives and a trillion dollars).

Still, Obama decided to withdraw all U.S. troops. The president claimed he tried to negotiate a new Status of Forces Agreement, but that the Iraqis were intransigent. This argument was discredited by Max Boot’s persuasive piece in the Wall Street Journal in October 2011, and by many others since. Even the New York Times published a story undermining Obama’s claim he made a wholehearted effort to negotiate an agreement.

In that same New York Times article, an Obama administration official was quoted as saying, “Stability in Iraq did not depend on the presence of U.S. forces.” The facts on the ground tell a different story.

For the Obama administration, it was more important to end the “goddamn war” in Iraq than to protect the hard-won gains made during the eight years of that bloody, heartbreaking war. Obama is now facing a similar decision on Afghanistan. One can only hope that this time he makes a more responsible decision, based not on politics but on policy. But judging from his inaugural promise that “a decade of war is coming to an end,” Obama appears headed toward another strategic blunder.

David Meyers served in the White House from2006 to 2009, and later in the United States Senate. He is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/01/24/biden-reveals-why-the-obama-administration-abandoned-iraq/#ixzz2Iv7fuHWL

[valu]

biden still wants to partition iraq. total complete stupidity.

[sailin12]

The terrorist are in Afganistan and other places. Presumption on reporter. It was time and the Iraqs don't move on anything. The discussion of force status would be still be in its umpteenth reading in parliament.haha

[TAV]

I agree with Biden! The Bush Administration tried pumping billions of dollars into manpower, resources, security and actual hard cash into that country and it didn't work. No need in throwing more good money after bad.

I say support a separate Kurdish north from the rest of Iraq and all will not be lost. At least a large third part of that country would not have been in vain.

Edited January 24, 2013 by TAV

[Joker017]

I agree with Biden! The Bush Administration tried pumping billions of dollars into manpower, resources, security and actual hard cash into that country and it didn't work. No need in throwing more good money after bad.

I say support a separate Kurdish north from the rest of Iraq and all will not be lost. At least a large third part of that country would not have been in vain.

Lol... Not sure what you are thinking but ALL WILL BE LOST for those of us who have purchased dinar... It'll be absolutely worthless if the Kurds split and form there own Country! Just Saying....

[TAV]

Lol... Not sure what you are thinking but ALL WILL BE LOST for those of us who have purchased dinar... It'll be absolutely worthless if the Kurds split and form there own Country! Just Saying....

Those dinars are absolutely worthless right now with the Kurds being apart of Iraq.

[Tropics]

Whatever happened to the days when a country kept the country they invaded? I know that is never going to happen nowadays but why are we negotiating anything? We came in with troops, took the place over until we were ready to leave. If we weren't ready to leave, who exactly was going to make us leave? For all the money we spent and the lives we lost, we should have stayed until the government was up and running efficiently before our departure. if they wanted us out, the conditions should have been the HCL is finished, you have met the conditions of Chapter 7 and you have restored your currency to where it was before we came. Those are incentives for Maliki to quit trying to be a dictator if he ever wanted US troops gone.

[TAV]

We all know that the new Dinars minus the zeros are suppose to have the kurdish language printed on them. Again, who knows but anything is better than watching the PM single-handedly pick-off and devour each position of the GOI. This guy has destroyed any faith of that government to support the value of their currency.

[DWitte]

Whatever happened to the days when a country kept the country they invaded? I know that is never going to happen nowadays but why are we negotiating anything? We came in with troops, took the place over until we were ready to leave. If we weren't ready to leave, who exactly was going to make us leave? For all the money we spent and the lives we lost, we should have stayed until the government was up and running efficiently before our departure. if they wanted us out, the conditions should have been the HCL is finished, you have met the conditions of Chapter 7 and you have restored your currency to where it was before we came. Those are incentives for Maliki to quit trying to be a dictator if he ever wanted US troops gone.

[/quote

Excellent. Spoils of war means we make the rules not ask for permission. Obama=BS

Somehow I screwed up this post. Only last sentence is mine.

Edited January 24, 2013 by DWitte

[TAV]

Whatever happened to the days when a country kept the country they invaded? I know that is never going to happen nowadays but why are we negotiating anything? We came in with troops, took the place over until we were ready to leave. If we weren't ready to leave, who exactly was going to make us leave? For all the money we spent and the lives we lost, we should have stayed until the government was up and running efficiently before our departure. if they wanted us out, the conditions should have been the HCL is finished, you have met the conditions of Chapter 7 and you have restored your currency to where it was before we came. Those are incentives for Maliki to quit trying to be a dictator if he ever wanted US troops gone.

I agree, I believe that may have been Cheney's original plan.

[Joker017]

Those dinars are absolutely worthless right now with the Kurds being apart of Iraq.

But at least there is still Hope that we may have an RV, But according to your statement you want the Kuds to Break away and then we would have no hope at all! Think about it!

[TAV]

I'm still shaking my head in disbelief. I'm sure the Kurdish north didn't want the troops to leave. The U.S. had absolute air superiority as well as the muscle on the ground and simply walked away.

[TAV]

But at least there is still Hope that we may have an RV, But according to your statement you want the Kuds to Break away and then we would have no hope at all! Think about it!

I disagree!

[McHales Navy]

Think about this regarding Kurdistan.

Wasn’t the whole 2003 invasion of Iraq an illegal war?

Bush lied, Chenney helped his friends at Halliburton, all to prevent Saddam from dislodging the US Petrodollar from its prominence.

‘IF’ the war was based solely for economic purposes, prevent Saddam from his oil scheme, then the Mission ‘has’ been accomplished.

By no means am I saying I support this as a whole.

But all conspiracy theorists conclusions collectively disseminated combined, if you will, suggest if the plan was to keep Iraq unstable, and remove it as a threat to Western trade, then the mission has been accomplished.

Partitioning Iraq would only provide this further.

Hence Biden’s comments.

This whole masterminded war was/is bigger than Bush, Chenney, Obama, Biden, or Rumsfeld combined.

If making a better life for the Iraq people was the true goal, then why not do the same for any given African nation, Haiti, North Korea, all of whom have citizens living in extreme conditions in need of assistance.

.

[makecents]

Whatever happened to the days when a country kept the country they invaded?

Fighting an insurgency is a very different thing than wars of the past where once the uniformed army was defeated the fighting was over.

[SINGH]

It's going to be a long long long 4 years......................................long!

As for the dinar RV, it will happen soon

The meaning of soon nowadays is............................................long!

[Snatcher]

Those dinars are absolutely worthless right now with the Kurds being apart of Iraq.

No they are not...At anytime you can cash them in and get your USD back..Or which ever currency you used to purchase them.

[TAV]

Think about this regarding Kurdistan.

Wasn’t the whole 2003 invasion of Iraq an illegal war?

Bush lied, Chenney helped his friends at Halliburton, all to prevent Saddam from dislodging the US Petrodollar from its prominence.

‘IF’ the war was based solely for economic purposes, prevent Saddam from his oil scheme, then the Mission ‘has’ been accomplished.

By no means am I saying I support this as a whole.

But all conspiracy theorists conclusions collectively disseminated combined, if you will, suggest if the plan was to keep Iraq unstable, and remove it as a threat to Western trade, then the mission has been accomplished.

Partitioning Iraq would only provide this further.

Hence Biden’s comments.

This whole masterminded war was/is bigger than Bush, Chenney, Obama, Biden, or Rumsfeld combined.

If making a better life for the Iraq people was the true goal, then why not do the same for any given African nation, Haiti, North Korea, all of whom have citizens living in extreme conditions in need of assistance.

.

I don't even know were to begin.

No they are not...At anytime you can cash them in and get your USD back..Or which ever currency you used to purchase them.

Yes, I stand corrected. We can cash them back in for a fee unless you can sell them to someone at the same purchase rate.

Edited January 24, 2013 by TAV

[McHales Navy]

[snooz]

Let Iraq be free....So does ourself........!!!!!!!!!!

SnooZ

[McHales Navy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39KlTrBnMrM

I neither agree or disagree with the content.

The factual data, and leader statements are what I'm interested in.

[uncirculd]

The biggest thing in this article that was a tell tale and cringed my eyes was when the two words God and Dam were put together. So these are men of God?? I don't think so. I can't stand it when I hear it and everyone around me knows it. But to read our leaders use it even cringes more. I guess like the president is trying to tell the world we are not a Christian nation, but I beg to differ. It's has been the US that brings the Gospel to the world. I thought this article would have some serious calculated plan but when I read it, I got sick. Even sicker when they use God as their descriptive words. It was a bloody and terrible war for our men and women and Iraq's men and women. It was not a g and d war.

[pastured]

Not an O fan at all, but

1. The Iraqi opposition leaders were "wanting America out back then"......(obviously now it appears they should have welcomed US to stay)

2. Wasn't Iraqi "refusing" to let US military to "continue" to be governed by US Military laws....(how could we let our soldiers be subjected to their brand of judicial justice & punishment)

3. US still has one of the, if not the, biggest Consulates in the world in Iraqi.....(don't sound like we are leaving anytime soon)

4. Some say US went to war because of Oil,..and to be near enough to Iran to be effective in maintaining stability (somewhat) in Middle East .....(not much mention anymore that Saddam had instigated a plot to assassinate Herbert Walker Bush.....don't think W thought much of that either)

5. Yes O did oppose the war and did promise to get US out.....and he got elected by AMERICAN VOTERS...TWICE. (not me though)

Should O have known better than to leave prematurely, (??) not sure where in his past he had the experience to deduce that.

Should American voters have known better?? Too many of the voters weren't even able to understand the peril of $16 Trillion in Debt on the home front and ignored the fact that O & Democratic controlled Congress (with help of some stupid Republican (as Jindal would say) ran up "more debt than all the presidential tenures before him"....while "winding down" the military expensive wars.

The preceptions of American voters are as much the problem as any Congress or President. When the American "middle" marches on Washington to make a point, that is when things will change. (not likely to happen....usually the only marchers are far left, sometimes far right)

An RV won't "re-direct" the current voter trend in America but for a few of us,....but a devastating economic collapse (another severe recession) probably could give some re-direction back to the middle. Currently Congress is letting O blame them for "all" the debt,...that its debt that Congress "created". Not true, O has bloated the size of government,...along with his party's majority in the beginning.

Even So,.....Wish it weren't so Joe. My only hope is keep voting, keep writing Congressmen, keep signing petitions and cash out in RV/RD/RI. Wish Iraq and all of us the best...ASN. GO RV/RD/RI.!!!!

p.s.: and pls don't tell me that U S Immigration is "broken". So tired of hearing that lie....from all sides. While there may be some tweaking of any law on occassion,...if US would shut down the ILLEGAL immigration thru our borders,....Immigration to US could operate as intended,

...which is "under reasonable and controlled" processes. What part of ILLEGAL does the government not understand!!!

[uncirculd]

I do know that Yes the Sadrist absolutley under no uncertain terms wanted the troops out. My issue is the choice of words used by our leaders. As for elections, I don't believe the last 8 presidents were elected by the American People. Unfortunately I believe they were all fraudulent If there were not fraud in the elections, there would be a strong enforcement of identification. Since there is a strong force against identification that tells me they don't want the truth and continue determining the presidency in the dark of the powers that be. It doesn't matter how you count it, popular or electoral. When dead people, cats and dogs, and single candidate counties go away, then you can say the American People voted in the President. Until then, none are valid. I will always respect the man in the job because he has to represent the US. Unfortunately, it is getting harder and harder to get one that really looks after the citizens. We are becoming Europe. Broke and lazy!

[TPSprayduster]

The US left Iraq because of election promises, lack of immunity for the troops and budget problems. If you invested in the Dinar well remember it is an INVESTMENT and sometimes these investments go south or do not pan out at all. The US is not going to make the Iraqis RV their currency besides they can do an in country RV rule all Dinars outside of the country of Iraq to be illegal and not honor the billions held by investors. If you ever been to Iraq that at the Airport their is a message saying it is illegal to take more dinars from the country than what you can use on a vacation or business. Now those who have millions sitting at home in your safe deposit boxes waiting to take to the bank to cash out might have a problem. Just saying all negatives are welcome but just providing a reality check. The Iraqis are looking to help Iraqis to be high on the hog instead of us foreigners who are trying to make a windfall. Just remember all of those banks stories, tellers smiling and leaning their heads to the side and all other kinds of BS. This thing is an investment and again investments go south. By the end of the year the US will be out of Iraq except for the embassy and consulates. They are currently consolidating training bases now.