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Subscribe to RSS"We really don't know what's going to happen" with security in Iraq after the U.S. forces leave, says Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Forces.
WASHINGTON – "We really don't know what's going to happen" with security in Iraq after the U.S. forces leave, a senior U.S. military officer said from Baghdad Wednesday morning.
When asked whether the Iraqi Security Forces can keep violence under control after American forces leave the country, Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Forces-Iraq, said Wednesday that the U.S. military just does not know.
Mohammed Jalil / EPA
Iraqi and U.S. officers talk during the handover ceremony of al-Asad Airbase in Anbar province, on Wednesday. The U.S. military handed over control of the al-Asad base which is the largest U.S. military Airbase near the Iraqi-Syrian border to the Iraqi government as part of its withdrawal from the country by the end of a year.
"There is a question mark right now for external security," Helmick said during a teleconference from Iraq this morning, adding that the U.S. has "done all we can do," to prepare them for the continuing internal threat facing the country.
Asked whether the U.S. military could be called to help secure the so-called International Zone -- which houses the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad -- Helmick said that Iraqi forces would continue to take on that mission.
"We are going to have to rely on host nation forces," he said, adding that because of the current agreement with the Iraqis, "we have no option" to use U.S. military forces for that mission.
After more than eight years of U.S. military briefings from Iraq this was the last teleconference briefing from Iraq to the Pentagon briefing room.
Helmick served several tours in Iraq, beginning in 2003. When asked whether the war was worth it, he said that is a "personal question." But he added that "from where I sit, I have to say it was."
U.S. troops in Iraq are scheduled to leave by the end of the year when a bilateral security pact expires, after more than eight years of war and occupation that included the overthrow of dictator Saddam Hussein.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
A U.S. Army soldier from the 2-82 Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, carries his gear after arriving in Kuwait from Camp Adder in Iraq on Wednesday at Camp Virginia, near Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Some facts from the Pentagon on the U.S. drawdown of troops:
- In 2007 the U.S. occupied 505 bases; today the U.S. occupies five bases.
- Over the past 18 months, U.S. military drivers have clocked more than 16 million miles to carry people and equipment out of the country – that is 482 times around the earth.
- The U.S. has fewer than 1,000 truckloads of equipment left to take out of the country.
- The U.S. currently has about 8,000 troops left in Iraq, and about 5,000 U.S. contractors. That is down from a high of approximately 300,000 uniformed U.S. military and U.S. contractors in that country in 2007.
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I can tell you exactly what will happen.
Iran will help Al Sadr take over Iraq.
There you have it, in a nutshell.
I think you're absolutely correct. But truthfully, I don't know. I really don't care, either, and want to keep it that way by getting out and staying out. They had their chance, but the people of Iraq are their own worst enemy, mainly due to ignorance.
They had their chance the same way Egypt had their chance, and Palestine long before them, and Libya still does. But all Muslims appear to be too stupid to progress out of the 7th century, so they will continue to be plagued by religious nutcases or dictators...they're just cattle, and there doesn't seem to be anything else in their future.
We'll just have to see. I'm cautiously optimistic myself. They could make it. It's certain we can't do any more. Good luck to them.
We gave freedom to the Iraqi people-- albeit at a high price. What they do with it now is up to them. If they want to hand it right back to another brutal dictator (al Sadr), well, that's their choice I guess.
Banned, I think you are 100% correct. I could sum up what I think will most likely happen in one word. Anarchy!
the iraqi people wont stand for it.
i give sadr 6 months and he will either be dead or in exile.
Iraqi will descend into chaos; the Islamic militants will restore their order; and we will have another Iran.
Banned,
Iran is in need of refined product and the US rebuilt the Oil Infrastructure of Iraq to meet the needs of all but the US. As we pull out, Iran will soon begin reaching in to get control. Sadr is not the only Zealot and could be replaced in the simplae act od naming a replacement.
Not our problem at years end. A Democratic government we are dreaming.
Not our problem at years end. A Democratic government we are a dreaming.
Are we, or are we dreaming of our own freedom from tyranny? How many American citizens have seen this? Where our own government are taking bids for concentration camps across the USA, which they divided into 5 bigger camps?
This is from oathkeepers.org (All those who took an Oath to support and defend the US Constitution and mean to keep it)
'This concerns the opening of what may be a FEMA detention facility in conjunction with S 1867 The “detention bill”. (take out the spaces. Stay Safe and "detention" Free)
planet.com/exclusive-government-activating-fema-camps-across-u-s.html
God help us and our republic.
I am getting the word out to all the military/law enforcement and others I can.'
Not our problem at years end. A Democratic government we are dreaming.
The vacuum will be filled.
By Iran.
Thanks a bunch, Obama. Your ignorant, myopic policies are ruining the planet.
And what do you want, perpetual occupation? The planet is not yours!
Go find a new planet Steven B. NASA just discovered one that is 'earthlike' with water and everything. See ya!
We could go with Dubya's policies and just make sh*t up to invade any country we don't like, then finance said unjust war with tax breaks to millionaires.
Hey Stevie:
Who was it that had the bright idea to invade Iraq in the first place, removing the #1 enemy of Iran, then install a Shiite domonated government that included Al-Sadr?
bill clinton signed "the regime change act of 1998"
...i guess clinton and the democrats bear no responsibility for sanctions, oil for food program, and no fly zones during the clinton years.
Clinton was wrong, but he didn't decide to invade. Keep guessing!
Now it seems that Obama wants to classify the terrorist attack at Fort Hood as "workplace violence".
We cannot get rid of this moron soon enough.
And furthermore... you won't be able to get rid of him at all.
Obama will win in 2012. Even if the GOP manages to get their only electable candidate (i.e. Romney) over the finish line. Obama still takes 300+ EV.
I'm not worried, but you certainly should be.
Steve you're a little whacky.I think Banned for Life has set the senario. Iraq will go back totheir religious ambushes ,war or a civil war with Iran comming to the rescue of the Shia's and Aganistan will be in chaos. I don't see us gaining anything from the conflicts.We are loosers again.
who can see the future?
Just like the way you went in.
Iraq is just waiting for us to leave so the can invite Iran into the country.
A total and complete waste of time,lives and money. (Except for the companies and people who milked it for all it was worth.)
It's what I've been thinking for years now though, if Iraqis truly want their freedom they can fight for it themselves.
Freedom earned is far sweeter than freedom given. At least in the lasting sense.
Despite what that fat boy Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah likes to say, America DID in fact win the war in Iraq. We killed tens of thousands of insurgents and Al Qaida and took out Saddam Hussien...too bad the war itself was a pointless one started by a bunch of repug morons.
Don't forget the Democrats culpability. Nothing is more annoying than a party shill.
Hmmm... Sounds familiar, right?
Right?
Oh, I'm sorry... did I destroy your narrative? Read more here.
Face it, regardless of who was in office, this war would have been waged. Blaming republicans is at best a half-truth (congress authorizes an act of war, and they had enough votes from both parties to go ahead-- including Hillary Clinton's) and at worst a bickering partisan cry-cry. The justification for war with Iraq had been mounting all through the 90's and both parties were on board.
"Repubicrat, Democran: One Party System!" -- Sage Francis
Cthulhu 2012 "Why choose the lesser evil?"
Yes, well. About 50% of Democratic congressmen voted yes, and about 100% Republican congressmen. That leaves 50% of the Democrats sane, but no Republicans. I guess for those Democrats, the justification hadn't "mounted" enough for war.
Yes, President Clinton had to deal with an Iraq that was run by a power hungry dictator and opted to use sanctions and a no fly zone. What he didn't and probably never would have done- especially based on bogus information about it being an Al Queda haven on having WMD - is declare war and kill thousands of innocent civilians. George is the one that mishandled this one and you can perfume it as much as you want but his administration pretty much mucked up whatever they touched. As for Iran spreading their sphere of influence I'm sure they will try but there are probably enough crazies on both sides that they will spend most of their time and energy fighting among themselves that they won't have time to irritate the rest of us.
Iraq was not a "safe haven" for Al Qaida backed terrorist prior to 9/11 but Ansar al-Islam was backed by Al Qaida and operating with free roam in Northern Iraq near the Turkish and Iranian border. Saddam allowed these insurgents to attack known Kurdish political and armed parties such as the KDP, PUK, PKK. No it was by no mean a "training ground for terrorist" but Saddam was fully aware of Ansar al-Islam's approval and accceptance by Bin Laden under the Al Qadia umbrella.
Leaving Iraq is a good thing. It finally frees up the bulk of the US fighting expeditionary forces from perpetual garrison duty in Iraq to return to US or European bases to rest and be able to rapidly respond to any future military and/or humanitarian crisis.
North Korea and Iran are probable military scenarios in the future. Leaving a residual garrison force of roughly 10K US personnel (mixture of all branches and job duties) as a deterrent to potential Iranian agression is just laughable. I don't think the Republicans realize how rediculous they sound in attempting to defend this notion that a few thousand service personnel can somehow form a barrier to 'potential' and 'alleged' Iranian agression. It is just foolish military logic and it's also poor financial logic - with the debt and all that....
With such military brillance eminating from the Republican minds, next thing we'll be hearing is the need to re-fortify the Maginot Line or reposition forces along Hadrian's Wall. Just absurd fantastical notions that could only be conjured up by the likes of the American Enterprise Institute and/or the Heritage Foundation and there numerous Republican surrogates.
FYI - It was none other than Barack Hussein Obama that 1st proposed 3,000 personnel. Had this happened, all of them would have been sitting targets. It was the US military that proposed 10,000 (or so).
In the end it really doesn't mater thought. Since Barack Hussein Obama has insured the "winner" in Iraq will be Iran.
The narrative that Iran is the winner in Iraq due to US pull out is solely a notion that is fancied by Republicans and AM talk radio fringers.
Victory in Iraq is getting out. The Iraqi's will sort it out amongst themselves. The Kurdish question, the Sunni-Shiite divide, the fair distribution of oil revenues among all ethnic communities, etc... It's just stuff that Americans don't care about anymore.
In fact, so few care about this matter that it can not even be a legit general election issue. Republicans can not (and will not) run on a platform that the US should re-enter Iraq in a hypothetical GOP administration. It is primary fodder material to thump on chests and hurl ridicules against Prez Obama that he is weak, but that is the only limited mileage that the Republicans can get out of this issue.
If you doubt this, just pay attention over the next few months and you'll see for yourself. The GOP would risk highlighting a campaign promise kept by Obama in removing forces from Iraq rather than the actual intent of their party to portray the president as weak. It just won't work with an electorate that wants to be done with this war.
Glad we're pulling out...bring our brothers and sisters home!!
At last! A true statement made about Iraq. Not the political BS that Barack Hussein Obama, Hillary Clinton, Pelosi, Wasserman, etc., have been espousing.
In reality, Obama has allowed Iran to become the dominate foreign political power in Iraq. And, Iran will use this to it's full advantage. Iran knows it cannot just take over Iraq because of the centuries of bad blood between them. However, Iran does know that it can "fill" as many political position as it can. This way Iraq (indirectly) falls in line with Iran's political and military ambitions.
In turn, by Iran controlling the political process in Iraq, Iran's goal of creating a @!$%#e alliance stretching from Iran, through Iraq, to Syria, Gaza and Lebanon becomes closer to being a reality.
What will happen is our people will come home and be able to live their lives.
As for Iraq, who cares.
Amen to that
The Shiite majority will assume control. Democracy will be implemented. The worst case scenario for zionism. No democracy in the middle east will accept zionism.
I hope the last officer leaving Irag leaves a Bill for services rendered. Remember the cargo planes full of American cash delivered there(under J Paul Bremer) cause the banks were down. They owe the United States big time. I'm glad our service people are coming home.
As far as Iraq goes....it will be rat eat rat, for a long long time.
sure american combat forces will leave iraq. iran will try to exploit the situation....but i think it will be a trap for iran al quuds forces.
sure maqtada al sadr will try to get iranian help......then the new iraqi democratic government will kill sadr, on their own, maybe by accident...maybe out in the open, but if i was sadr...i would be a gone mofo.
besides, all the troops are just being relocated to other gulf states UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and yes even saudi arabia (at the request of the royal family)
we will be in the persian gulf for at least another decade.
We are broke and we worry about Iraq's security ?. Let China worry about it , they have more money to spend or Iran -they have a balanced budget. I am more worried about our jobs and security in the U.S.-they are about to pass a bill that will make us all targets of secret searches and imprisonment without the due process of law. You can thank McCain and Levin for the act of terrorism on Americans to keep us in endless wars.
No end to the Republican spending America into bankruptcy fighting wars they won't pay for.
If Kurds, Sunni and Shia's can find a way to listen to each other, leave the Christians in peace, and have enough civil tranquility - it may work. They do need to create an atmosphere of compromise and stability to gain back about 3 million refugees who left. These are the educated doctors, nurses, teachers, business people who were the middle class.
The US state dept does have a few thousand 'contracts' on our payroll and the 'surge' was hiring about 110,000 young sunni men at about $400 per month. I do not know if they are still on our payroll. The shia government was supposed to hire about 20,000 of these as police and army, but I do not know if this has or ever will occur.
the borrowed dollar cost for us is likely 5 trillion and 2 trillion spent by rummy and gates cannot be found. All this and an Iraq vet has a very hard time finding a job after leaving the service. Unemploymnent running at about 27% for this very fine group of our society.
THAT SAYS IT ALL.....
'
Borak Hussein Osama and his "Mental Midgets" create a plan, then.... they openly admit they HAVE NO CLUE.
Gives the lie to the reasons we were ever there.
Eight years of war, 300,000 troops on the ground, with another fifty thousand in the air and on the sea. Thank you George W Bush. Think about the amount of money that was wasted, money that could have been used here in our own country building bridges and roads and repairing and enlarging train service, How many jobs were lost while the Iraqis drained our resources based on a Hadrian lie! Now, its Obama's fault eh? To the nitwit who posted that egregious remark, I wish that he receives a big migraine headache waking up one day to find a Republican in the Oval office; one without ability or competency and seeking to establish one party rule, under a God that only favors the small minority. Would any self respecting Muslim seek to impose the Haddith upon his own? No, moderation has always been the test of time and will remain so while the right side of this imbalance continues to heckle, obstruct and seek comfort within their own misguided ideology. Ask those troops who lost limbs, or have been maimed what they think of a war that won them nothing but sadness. The Iraqis and the Iranians kill over an religious schism, and will continue to do so until not one of them is left to fight their ignorant and selfless ways. We fought a war based on deception and outright mendacity and the blame lies right on the shoulders who managed to trick us into a senseless and expensive preview of Armageddon. The results are clear - recession, loss of jobs, failing economy and divided political parties who can only yell at each other and lack the ability to comprehend what is needed in this country. Pathetic, absolutely pathetic.
Hey, it's not our job to know, just get the hell out !
What!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're leaving Iraq??? We haven't found Bin-Laden yet!!!!Obama, it's your fault we are leaving. Your just worried that Bush Jr. and Cheany will find him in Iraq. They invaded Iraq with a promise they would find Bin-Laden. Come on President Obama, give Bush Jr. and Cheany more time.