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Politics : President Barack Obama -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (59481)	7/27/2009 12:39:00 PM
From: one_less	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 149317

What do will you consider to be the factors of stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan which would be sufficient to allow us to exit?

To: tejek who wrote (59481)	7/27/2009 4:27:17 PM
From: one_less	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 149317

Maliki presses Obama on weapons deliveries, hints at extended U.S. presence WASHINGTON — Iraq has been mulling the prospect of extending the U.S. military presence. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki said he envisioned a scenario in which the U.S. military would be asked to remain in his country beyond the withdrawal deadline in late 2011. Al Maliki, who met President Barack Obama and senior administration officials, said such a request would depend on the state of readiness of Iraq's security forces. "Pursuant to the agreement, in 2011, the military presence of the Americans will take end in Iraq," Maliki said in an address to the U.S. Institute for Peace. "Nevertheless, if the Iraqi forces required further training and further support, we shall examine this then at that time based on the needs of Iraq." "And I am sure that the prospects and the will, desire, the prospects and the desire of such cooperation is found among both parties," Al Maliki added. "Nevertheless, the nature of that relationship as well as the functions and the amount of forces will be then discussed and re-examined again based on the needs." Officials said Al Maliki, during his visit to Washington in late July, pressed Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to accelerate training and weapons deliveries as the U.S. military reduces its presence in Iraq. They said Al Maliki complained that the lion's share of weapons ordered from the United States over the last two years has not arrived. "They have many needs and they are not afraid to articulate them," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said on July 23 after the Gates-Al Maliki meeting. Officials said Al Maliki has sought U.S. help to rebuild Iraq's air force. They said the prime minister reiterated Iraq's request for the U.S.-origin F-16 multi-role fighter, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. In 2008, Iraq submitted a request on the price and availability of 36 F-16s. The Pentagon, which said it conducted such an examination, has not released its reply. Over the last six months, the United States has reduced its military presence from 145,000 to 130,000 troops in Iraq. Obama has pledged to withdraw all combat troops from Iraq by August 2010. The United States has reported progress in its program to ensure Iraqi security force independence. The U.S. military has determined that the Iraqi national police in the Wasit province was capable of training without help from the U.S.-led coalition. Wasit was said to have the first mobile training team, consisting of seven instructors and three officers and organized by the 772nd Military Police Company of the U.S. National Guard. Officials said the mobile team, meant to avoid transferring officers to distant police academies, would serve police stations throughout Wasit, located along the border with Iran. "This is the first province in Iraq to have this mobile training team," Iraqi Sgt. Hayder Sahib Silan, a police instructor in Wasit Silan said. "The other provinces rely on their academies and the coalition-led police training teams. But here in Wasit, we have the first independent, fully trained Iraqi mobile training team responsible for professional development and training of the Iraqi police." worldtribune.com

To: tejek who wrote (59481)	7/27/2009 6:52:57 PM
From: one_less	Respond to of 149317

U.S. debating private guards for Afghan bases By Richard Lardner - The Associated Press Posted : Sunday Jul 26, 2009 9:44:45 EDT WASHINGTON — U.S. military authorities in Afghanistan may hire a private contractor to provide around-the-clock security at dozens of bases and protect vehicle convoys moving throughout the country. The possibility of awarding a security contract comes as the Obama administration is sending thousands of more troops into Afghanistan to quell rising violence fueled by a resurgent Taliban. As the number of American forces grow over the next several months, so too does the demand to guard their outposts. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he wants to cut back on the use of contractors that now provide a wide range services to American troops in war zones, including transportation, communications, food service, construction, and maintenance. As recently as February, however, Gates called the use of private security contractors in certain parts of Afghanistan “vital” to supporting U.S. bases. A contract for the work also creates job opportunities for Afghans, he said. But the use of private contractors in Iraq has been highly contentious. Since a September 2007 shooting of Iraqi civilians in Baghdad by guards employed by Blackwater (now Xe Services), critics have urged U.S. officials to maintain much tighter controls over hired guards. The Washington Post reported Saturday that the Army published a notice July 10 informing interested contractors it was contemplating a contract for “theater-wide” armed security. “The contract would provide for a variety of security services, to include the static security of compounds on which U.S. and coalition forces reside, and for the protection of mission essential convoys in and around forward operating bases located throughout Afghanistan,” the notice states. No formal request for proposals has been issued. If the military decides to move ahead, a contract could be awarded by Dec. 1. navytimes.com