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AP reported Obama’s plan for Iraq troop withdrawal six days ago

By Dylan Stableford | The Cutline – Fri, Oct 21, 2011

President Obama announces U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, Oct. 21, 2011. (AP/Susan Walsh)

On Friday, President Barack Obama announced the withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq by the end of the year. But the news was actually first reported on Saturday, Oct. 15, by the Associated Press:

BAGHDAD (AP) -- The U.S. is abandoning plans to keep U.S. troops in Iraq past a year-end withdrawal deadline, The Associated Press has learned. The decision to pull out fully by January will effectively end more than eight years of U.S. involvement in the Iraq war, despite ongoing concerns about its security forces and the potential for instability.

At the time, the report--by Lara Jakes and Rebecca Santana--was denied by the White House and the Pentagon:

A Pentagon spokesman said Saturday that no final decision has been reached about the U.S. training relationship with the Iraqi government.

[...]

A White House spokesman, Tommy Vietor, said discussions with Iraq about the security relationship between the two countries next year were ongoing.

But:

A senior Obama administration official in Washington confirmed Saturday that all American troops will leave Iraq except for about 160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.

A senior U.S. military official confirmed the departure and said the withdrawal could allow future but limited U.S. military training missions in Iraq if requested.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

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18 comments

A Yahoo! User • 7 mths ago
AP is Obama's puppet
- John Halter 7 mths ago
  Also the Huffingtonpost ,YAHOO, ABS, NBC, CNN. MSNBC, but not FOX and the dems want to destroy it real bad!
con • Columbus, United States • 7 mths ago
He wanted the people to think he was the one to make that decision to try to get more votes.
Billy Wolf • 7 mths ago
Okay
Doomguard • 7 mths ago
Obama simply had to time the announcement to cover that fact that he just signed 3 more NAFTA style free trade agreements today. Your jobs, on their way to South America and Asia.
Big E • Burbank, United States • 7 mths ago
The LEFTIST AP is part of the leftist government news network. Comparable to Pravda with the old Soviet Union
buz • 7 mths ago
cut and run, just like always every since viet nam. they all know all they have to do is wait us out. send our men and women [in this case] to die without being able to do what it takes to fix the situation and tie the soldiers hands and make nice. Do not start something and send our people without finishing it. #$%$ you all for killing my soldiers and making the lives of their families hell. As for the comment below mine [and awesome job] for a puke that said he would take our troops out immediately upon election you deserve each other you and obama.
J P • 7 mths ago
obama's plan? this was bush's plan from 2008.
- M W 7 mths ago
  WHAT? He had no end game plan...how soon you forget! He was ASKED and he had NO answer! None! Don't you remember how incompetent he was? Typical short-minded sheep.
- Stella 7 mths ago
  'The U.S. military presence in Iraq stands at just under 40,000. All U.S. troops are to exit the country in accordance with a deal struck between the countries in 2008 when George W. Bush was president.'
  
  'When the 2008 agreement requiring all U.S. forces to leave Iraq was passed, many U.S. officials assumed it would inevitably be renegotiated so that Americans could stay longer.'
  
  mw youre the short minded sheep
- treehugging_druid21 7 mths ago
  oh, you mean kind of like the patriot act & tons of other laws that are set with an expiration date. then, the law gets renewed for several more years--& it never leaves.
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Reply
Rahmbo • 7 mths ago
AP, What Do You Want A Cookie?
- M W 7 mths ago
  THANK YOU! Did this wreak of a "Lookie lookie! I said it first!!!" mentality or WHAT?
- treehugging_druid21 7 mths ago
  yeah, there's a lot of those "i said it first" articles going around lately. i remember a similar one about amy winehouse. anyway, wah.
missjay • Westminster, United States • 7 mths ago
Good, seems he's floowing Bushs plan. And they got rid of Ghadafi without our troops so other countries can take care of themseles if we let them.
Peremalfate • 7 mths ago
Golly Gee but AP is on top of things again...

WHO THE HELL DIDN'T KNOW de buckwheat kenyan WOULD PULL THIS OUT OF HIS... "HAT," PRIOR TO 2012?

2012 is an ELECTION YEAR, remember?
- JFSNY 7 mths ago
  It's actually just staying on the schedule President Bush set before HE left office. It's certainly not "cutting and running"...we've been there for nearly a DECADE, which is why W set the time frame.
Brad • 7 mths ago
Still doesnt deserve reelection.. Ron Paul all day
- M W 7 mths ago
  I am not a Republican, but I really consider Ron Paul the only decent Republican candidate...and someone who might give a lot of Democrats pause for their vote. BUT, if we and Congress treat Paul the way we/they have treated Obama, we'll be right back in the same place. Imagine what Paul (or anyone!) could accomplish if Congress worked together to find points of agreement and compromise instead of the "Its my way or no way" attitude they ALL have now.
- treehugging_druid21 7 mths ago
  bringing home the troops was high on paul's list. funny, we don't hear uch about afghanistan, do we?
quickster • Los Angeles, United States • 7 mths ago
We are there to protect that small nation of Israel from getting killed. We get 60 % of our oil from Canada, 15% Mexico and 15% Venezuela and only 10% from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Michael • 7 mths ago
Another political move with reelection coming. The only reason we were there was for the oil and the big bucks for the billionaires. It's the main reason we are in such dire straights.
John Halter • Warren, United States • 7 mths ago
Iraq told Obama to get our military out and he bowed to there demands, check the facts.
John Halter • Warren, United States • 7 mths ago
This was iraq's plan when they no longer would let the American military handle its own justice for our solders we could no longer stay, Obama had little to do with it. We are not going to put our men threw the Iraq justice system like they insisted we do after the end of the year. The death over there will escalate after we leave because Iran has there eye on this country, like they have for many years
356 • 7 mths ago
My President, my man ...awesome job my friend
lindy • Troy, United States • 7 mths ago
I do hope the greedy Republicans let President Obama pass a job bill so there will be jobs for our boys..........Michell Obama and President Obama are trying so hard to help our boys when they come home
Halbhh • 7 mths ago
Another thing about 90% will agree on: Obama can't clean up all of Bush's messes. More than anyone could do in 1 term, actually.

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