Richard WarnickBush Sets Iraq ‘Surrender Date’: December 31, 2011
[A] surrender date … is not a good idea. It is defeat. It is a death sentence for the millions of Iraqis who voted for a constitution, who voted for a government, who voted for a free and democratic society. [White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, April 23, 2007]
The Associated Press reports that U.S. and Iraqi negotiators have agreed on a draft security pact that would govern the presence of American troops in Iraq after the U.N. mandate expires in ten weeks.
The draft calls for U.S. troops to pull out of Iraqi cities by the end of June next year and leave Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011, unless the Baghdad government asks them to stay. It also includes a compromise on the biggest bone of contention: legal immunity for American forces, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity…
If this isn’t the final draft, it’s at least the latest U-turn by the Bush administration in a contentious negotiation process that has gone on for at least nine months.
“I believe artificial timetables of withdrawal would be a mistake. … I will strongly reject an artificial timetable for withdrawal and/or Washington politicians trying to tell those who wear the uniform how to do their job.” [President Bush, April 23, 2007]
Think Progress has more Bush administration quotes on the subject of an Iraq withdrawal timetable.
Previous One Utah posts:
Bush Administration to Iraq: No Withdrawal Timetable for You! (October 7)
Iraq Withdrawal: Reading the Fine Print (August 11)
Iraq Withdrawal: They Were Against It Before They Were For It (July 30)
Bye-Bye Green Zone (July 14)
The Iraq Endgame Takes Shape (June 18)
‘More abominable than the occupation’ (June 10)
Revealed: Secret plan to keep Iraq under permanent US occupation (June 5)
Iraq Index and an Update on the Permanent Occupation Treaty (May 31)
October 31st, 2008 at 9:53 am
[...] One Utah posts: Iraq: End in Sight! (October 23) Bush Sets Iraq ‘Surrender Date’: December 31, 2011 (October 15) Bush Administration to Iraq: No Withdrawal Timetable for You! (October 7) Iraq [...]