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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (35567)	7/20/2008 11:22:07 AM
From: Geoff Altman	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 224720

Don't believe that one? How about this one: Iraqi PM disputes report on withdrawal planStory Highlights NEW: Der Spiegel says Nuri al-Maliki backs plan to withdraw troops within 16 months NEW: Al-Maliki's spokesman says his remarks were "misunderstood" updated 7:11 p.m. EDT, Sat July 19, 2008 Comments follow White House announcement of "time horizon" for withdrawal (CNN) -- 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. "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. In the magazine interview, Al-Maliki said his remarks did not indicate that he was endorsing Obama over presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain. "Who they choose as their president is the Americans' business. But it's the business of Iraqis to say what they want. And that's where the people and the government are in general agreement: The tenure of the coalition troops in Iraq should be limited," he said. "Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic," al-Maliki said. The interview's publication came one day after the White House said President Bush and al-Maliki had agreed to include a "general time horizon" in talks about reducing American combat forces and transferring Iraqi security control across the country. The Bush administration has steadfastly refused to consider a "timetable" for withdrawing troops from Iraq. In a statement issued Friday after a conversation between Bush and al-Maliki by closed-circuit television, the White House said that conditions in Iraq would dictate the pace of the negotiations and not "an arbitrary date for withdrawal." The two men "agreed that the goals would be based on continued improving conditions on the ground and not an arbitrary date for withdrawal," the White House said. In an interview to air Sunday on "Late Edition," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that "those goals are being achieved now, as we speak. And so, it's not at all unusual to start to think that there is a horizon out there, in the not too distant future, in which the roles and responsibilities of the U.S. forces are going to change dramatically and those of the Iraqi forces are going to become dominant." White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said al-Maliki had made it clear that such decisions will be based on continuing positive developments. "It is our shared view that should the recent security gains continue, we will be able to meet our joint aspirational time horizons," he said. The prime minister's remarks emerged as Obama visited Kuwait and Afghanistan before embarking on a tour of the Middle East and Europe to boost his foreign policy credentials. He also plans to visit Iraq. The Democratic candidate says he supports a phased withdrawal of troops, promising to remove all combat brigades from Iraq within 16 months of taking office if he becomes president. McCain does not think American troops should return to the United States until Iraqi forces are capable of maintaining a safe, democratic state. He has been a strong advocate of the 2007 "surge" to escalate U.S. troop levels and says troops should stay in Iraq as long as needed. McCain says Obama is wrong for opposing the increased troop presence, and Obama says McCain's judgment is flawed. CNN's Julia Weber and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (35567)	7/20/2008 12:46:07 PM
From: TideGlider	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 224720

why don't you pay attention? you big dummy!

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (35567)	7/20/2008 3:36:58 PM
From: Ann Corrigan	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 224720

Wake up, Ken. The media as usual distorted Maliki's statement. He said his words were "misunderstood." Translation: The lib US media wrote part fact, part fiction to suit their current political agenda.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (35567)	7/20/2008 4:45:58 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224720

July 20th, 2008 7:21 am Who made this decision? Symbolically, a monument to Prussian war victories could not be a worse choice. I’m not sure the more esoteric cultural associations the monument can claim (Wim Wenders etc.) will be enough to save this location from the savaging of commentators. — Posted by chris 3.July 20th, 2008 7:45 am Why is he giving a suppposed historic speech like he is president already. This is a little much not sure how it will sit with regular Americans I can see if another candidate would do this in a foreign country everyone would say they over stepped their bounds but not our Obama. Usually when pols visit they take a more observer humble respectful approach. He is too much and so are his campaign advisors what are they thinking. Polls should be a lot better than what they are if he is going to win in November not sure a self glorifying speech in Germany will help polls in USA. Does he speak German? — Posted by Donald 4.July 20th, 2008 8:16 am Oy Vey. This is really quite sad. Listen to the spin words of “Change” espoused by the foreign posters. It’s quite scary. I doubt that many in foreign countries would vote for a man with little experience in creating legislation that sets for his beliefs, but yet encourage Americans to do so. Remember, if Bush hadn’t been such a horrible President (albeit in one of our most difficult periods of history) Obama would be laughed all the way back to Chicago. — Posted by jamesbee