Obama to extend Iraq withdrawal timetable; 50,000 troops to stay

[Chris_]

Obama to extend Iraq withdrawal timetable; 50,000 troops to stay

WASHINGTON — Amid complaints from has own party that he's moving too slowly to end the war in Iraq, President Barack Obama will announce Friday that U.S. combat troops will be withdrawn by Aug. 31, 2010, but that as many as 50,000 Marines and soldiers would remain until the end of 2011.

Obama will announce his plans during a visit with troops at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he'll also visit with Marines who are being deployed to Afghanistan, senior administration officials said.

As he moves to draw down the war in Iraq after six years and more than 4,200 U.S. dead, he's also moving to escalate the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

The 18-month timetable for withdrawing combat troops from Iraq is two months longer than he promised during his campaign. Aides who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak frankly said that military commanders wanted the extra time. "The president found that compelling," said one senior administration official.

*snip*

I'm happy to listen to the secretary of defense and the president, but when they talk about 50,000, that's a little higher number than I had anticipated," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., before meeting with Obama at the White House.

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Ah.  He was for troop withdrawl before he was against it.  Who said promises were meant to be kept?  Ain't reality a b*tch, Uncle Zer0?

[thundley4]

"I'm happy to listen to the secretary of defense and the president, but when they talk about 50,000, that's a little higher number than I had anticipated," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., before meeting with Obama at the White House."

Have the top three leaders of the Democrats fully agreed on anything yet, except for screwing up the country?

[JohnnyReb]

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Ah.  He was for troop withdrawl before he was against it.  Who said promises were meant to be kept?  Ain't reality a b*tch, Uncle Zer0?

....and that's lie number # what now?