U.S. forces to stay in Iraq into 2012, says Leon Panetta

[OregonHopeful]

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Iraq’s government has agreed to extend the U.S. military presence in the country beyond 2011 - but Iraq quickly rejected the claim.

The word from Panetta, during an interview with Stars & Stripes, was the first official indication that any of the 46,000 American troops will remain in Iraq beyond the country’s Dec. 31 deadline for U.S. forces to leave. The U.S. and Iraq reached a security agreement in 2008 that the entire American military would be out of the country by the end of 2011.

“My view is that they finally did say, ‘Yes,’ ” Panetta told the military’s official newspaper. He told the paper he urged the Iraqis six weeks ago to “dammit, make a decision” about allowing U.S. troops to remain in the country into 2012.

But shortly after Panetta’s interview hit the Internet, a spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Malaki told Agence-France Press no deal is in place.

“We have not yet agreed on the issue of keeping training forces,” spokesman Ali Mussawi said. “The negotiations are ongoing, and these negotiations have not been finalized.”

Panetta said the Pentagon has already begun planning for the continued presence in Iraq.

After Stars & Stripes published its interview, Pentagon press secretary George Little provided reporters a transcript of Panetta’s interview with the paper.

In that transcript, Panetta is quoted saying: “My view is that they finally did say yes, which is that as a result of a meeting that Talabani had last week, that all of the, it was unanimous consent among the key leaders of the country to go ahead and request that we negotiate on some kind of training, what a training presence would look like, they did at least put in place a process to try and get a Minister of Defense decided and we think they’re making some progress on that front.”

Panetta also said, according to the official transcript, that the Pentagon will abide by President Barack Obama’s pledge to end U.S. military operations in Iraq.

“We have begun the drawdown, and we will continue the drawdown and we will fulfill the commitment that we are going to take all the combat forces out of Iraq,” he said. “That’s a commitment the president made to the country and I think he clearly wants to stand by that. The issue will then will become what is the kind of training assistance and presence that Iraq feels it needs in order to be able to defend itself and secure itself.”

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http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61731.html

[FRUSTRATED]

NOTHING IS GETTING DONE IN IRAQ!!!!!!!!!! EVERYTIME THEY REPORT PROGRESS THEY FOLLOW IT UP WITH A RETRACTION. THEY ARE TRULY A CORRUPT AND IGNORANT PEOPLE(in the government) All the poor people that are starving with no support have no choice but to take the crap their government throws at them!!!!!!

[OregonHopeful]

Hmmm kind of reminds you of the USA, doesn't it.

[Darin]

They must love to be stuck in limbo of decisions.

Talk about indecisive... I thought I was indecisive.

Here was my initial thoughts when I read this:

A deal was made... Penatta spoke of it, and it hit the internet. M's spokesman caught word and feared people possibly being upset and claimed no deal was decided yet. In other words, a behind the scenes deal was made, but they don't want the people to know.

That's how I initially saw it.

But, who knows.... Committment is not their strong point.

[Doctor Smith]

I say they're going to stay into 2012. So that's it. Diplomatic immunity included. And our soldiers aren't going to be sitting ducks obeying the Iraqi leaders that aren't ready to defend themselves.

They can't seem to make up their minds so I made it for them.

Edited August 19, 2011 by Doctor Smith

[Kimberlye]

Jeez, it is so hard to know what is true or false coming out of Iraq. My brother is a contractor in Iraq and I talked to him on Monday. Honeywell -- who he works for -- was preparing to shut down in Irag, and then the Iraqi government asked the U.N. for the United States to stay. As of Monday, there was no answer back from the U.N., and my brother said their contract is up on, I think it was, September 21st, and so Honeywell was waiting for a contract to be signed. I have not talked to my brother again since Monday, but I will call this weekend. Any other contractors out there that have any word on this? I mean, I guess things could have changed since Monday.

Happy Friday

Kimberlye

[fnbplanet]

Here's a guess:

You know how our administration(s) like to "time" unpopular or unflattering news by releasing in late on a Friday or a Saturday, so as to not dominate the news with it? I bet they wanted to announce it just as they leave town for the holiday, so as not to cause too much of a fuss. There's a lot of Iraqis that want us outa there ASAP.

Sadr gonna pee his sheet when this gets officially announced.