Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans (UPDATED! maliki denies)

[Wretched Excess]

Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans

In an interview with SPIEGEL, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Barack Obama's 16 timeframe for a withdrawal from Iraq is the right one.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Maliki was careful to back away from outright support for Obama. "Of course, this is by no means an election endorsement. Who they choose as their president is the Americans' business," he said. But then, apparently referring to Republican candidate John McCain's more open-ended Iraq policy, Maliki said: "Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic. Artificially prolonging the tenure of US troops in Iraq would cause problems."

Iraq, Maliki went on to say, "would like to see the establishment of a long-term strategic treaty with the United States, which would govern the basic aspects of our economic and cultural relations." He also emphasized though that the security agreement between the two countries should only "remain in effect in the short term."

The comments by the Iraqi leader come as Obama embarks on a trip to both Afghanistan and Iraq as well as to Europe. Obama was in Afghanistan on Saturday to, as he said prior to his trip, "see what the situation on the ground is … and thank our troops for the heroic work that they've been doing." The exact itinerary of the candidate's trip has not been made public out of security concerns, but it is widely expected that he will arrive in Iraq on Sunday to meet with Maliki.

Maliki has long shown impatience with the open-ended presence of US troops in Iraq. In his conversation with SPIEGEL, he was once again candid about his frustration over the Bush administration's hesitancy about agreeing to a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops. But he did say he was optimistic that such a schedule would be drawn up before Bush leaves the White House next January -- a confidence that appeared justified following Friday's joint announcement in Baghdad and Washington that Bush has now, for the first time, spoken of "a general time horizon" for moving US troops out of Iraq.

Much More

[Jim]

Note that Maliki retains the need to adjust as the situation dictates and adjust he has through out the many 18 month looks we've had.  Moreover he is counting on a long term arrangement where BHO is not.

Not the ringing endorsement it's headlined to be.

[Lord Undies]

Those damn camel humps always stick together.

[Wretched Excess]

Note that Maliki retains the need to adjust as the situation dictates and adjust he has through out the many 18 month looks we've had.  Moreover he is counting on a long term arrangement where BHO is not.

Not the ringing endorsement it's headlined to be.

obama would have pulled out by now if it was up to him, and maliki would be swinging from a rope.

moron.

[Zeus]

[Jim]

Note that Maliki retains the need to adjust as the situation dictates and adjust he has through out the many 18 month looks we've had.  Moreover he is counting on a long term arrangement where BHO is not.

Not the ringing endorsement it's headlined to be.

obama would have pulled out by now if it was up to him, and maliki would be swinging from a rope.

moron.

Yup.

[Attero Dominatus]

Iraqi PM disputes report on withdrawal plan

A German magazine quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as saying that he backed a proposal by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months. Nuri al-Maliki told Der Spiegel that he favors a "limited" tenure for coalition troops in Iraq.

Nuri al-Maliki told Der Spiegel that he favors a "limited" tenure for coalition troops in Iraq.

"U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months," he said in an interview with Der Spiegel that was released Saturday.

"That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes," he said.

But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements, echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush.

More: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/almaliki.obama/

[Wretched Excess]

Iraqi PM disputes report on withdrawal plan

A German magazine quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as saying that he backed a proposal by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months. Nuri al-Maliki told Der Spiegel that he favors a "limited" tenure for coalition troops in Iraq.

Nuri al-Maliki told Der Spiegel that he favors a "limited" tenure for coalition troops in Iraq.

"U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months," he said in an interview with Der Spiegel that was released Saturday.

"That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes," he said.

But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements, echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush.

More: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/almaliki.obama/

the obamagasms are premature.

But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."

[Wretched Excess]

Iraqi PM disputes report on withdrawal plan

A German magazine quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as saying that he backed a proposal by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months. Nuri al-Maliki told Der Spiegel that he favors a "limited" tenure for coalition troops in Iraq.

Nuri al-Maliki told Der Spiegel that he favors a "limited" tenure for coalition troops in Iraq.

"U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months," he said in an interview with Der Spiegel that was released Saturday.

"That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes," he said.

But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements, echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush.

More: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/almaliki.obama/

thanks for the update, AD

[Chris_]

From Obama's website...

[TheSarge]

Whoops!

Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has not endorsed any specific timeframe for possible U.S. troops withdrawals, a government spokesman said Sunday.

The statement by Ali al-Dabbagh came after an article was published by Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine which quoted al-Maliki as favoring the 16-month withdrawal window proposed by Barack Obama.

The article quoted al-Maliki as saying “U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes.”

Al-Dabbagh said al-Maliki’s views were “misunderstood and mistranslated” by Der Spiegel and that the prime minister backs a general vision of pulling out U.S. combat forces based on talks with Washington “and in the light of the continuing positive developments on the ground.”

Al-Dabbagh said statements by al-Maliki or any members of the Iraqi government “should not be understood as support to any U.S. presidential candidates.”

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/07/20/iraq-pm-not-endorsing-obama-timeframe-on-troop-withdrawal/

Bet it won't stop the MSM and Barakstar! from claiming a mandate.

[Airwolf]

Looks like BO has the John Kerry two step down pat.

[Chris_]

Heh.

[TheSarge]

Looks like BO has the John Kerry two step down pat.

Next thing you know Barakstar! will claim to have the backing of 17 unnamed world leaders.

[Airwolf]

Looks like BO has the John Kerry two step down pat.

Next thing you know Barakstar! will claim to have the backing of 17 unnamed world leaders.

And 57 Governors of the United States

[Schadenfreude]

Newsflash..... the US will do what she needs to do to ensure US safety and well-being. That we are helping Iraq maintain stability is a sidebar benefit to them.

Honestly..... I could fricking scream when the rest of the world thinks we should give a F--k about what they think.

on edit.... I didn't read the denial.....  Ok, but I did let out some steam, even if it was not based on context of this post. 

[DixieBelle]

Obama contines to "Hope" you won't notice when he "Changes" his positions or what other people say about him.

Oy.

[JohnnyReb]

Obama contines to "Hope" you won't notice when he "Changes" his positions or what other people say about him.

Oy.

Obamas' I-Rock and Aft-gas-anna-tan plan is, and always has been, "Run like hell, my Muzzie bro's need a break".

[Odin's Hand]

A propaganda piece that would make Herr Goebbels proud.

[Wretched Excess]

isn't this the same iraqi leadership that The BarackStar! has been so critical of for missing all the milestones that they have made ( ) and failing to make the progress that the surge was supposed to make possible?

why does obama care what a hopeless loser thinks, anyway?