Romney, Perry hammer Obama over Iraq pullout
Updated 5:39 p.m. Eastern Time
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney harshly criticized President Obama in the wake of the president's announcement that the United States will withdraw all troops from Iraq by the end of the year.
"President Obama's astonishing failure to secure an orderly transition in Iraq has unnecessarily put at risk the victories that were won through the blood and sacrifice of thousands of American men and women," he said. "The unavoidable question is whether this decision is the result of a naked political calculation or simply sheer ineptitude in negotiations with the Iraqi government. The American people deserve to hear the recommendations that were made by our military commanders in Iraq."
A deal to withdraw all troops from Iraq by the end of 2011 was negotiated in 2008, under the administration of former President George W. Bush. Over the past few months, Obama administration Iraqi officials reportedly worked on a deal to leave a few thousand military trainers in the country past the end of the year, but they could not come to an agreement because the Iraqis refused to grant U.S. troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts.
The Obama reelection campaign responded to Romney's statement by saying Mr. Obama "kept his pledge to the nation to end the war in Iraq in a responsible way," and also by criticizing Romney.
"Mitt Romney didn't lay out a plan to end the war in Iraq in his foreign policy agenda - he barely even mentioned Iraq - but he is apparently willing to leave American troops there without identifying a new mission," said Obama for American Press Secretary Ben LaBolt. "Mitt Romney's foreign policy experience is limited to his work as a finance executive shipping American jobs overseas."
Romney wasn't the only GOP presidential candidate to attack Mr. Obama in the wake of the announcement. Texas Gov. Rick Perry suggested "President Obama is putting political expediency ahead of sound military and security judgment by announcing an end to troop level negotiations and a withdrawal from Iraq by year's end."
"The President was slow to engage the Iraqis and there's little evidence today's decision is based on advice from military commanders," he said.
Michele Bachmann called the decision "a political decision and not a military one," claiming "it represents the complete failure of President Obama to secure an agreement with Iraq for our troops to remain there to preserve the peace and demonstrates how far our foreign policy leadership has fallen."
"In every case where the United States has liberated a people from dictatorial rule, we have kept troops in that country to ensure a peaceful transition and to protect fragile growing democracies," she said. "We will now have fewer troops in Iraq than we have in Honduras - despite a costly and protracted war."
"We have been ejected from a country by the people that we liberated and that the United States paid for with precious blood and treasure," she added.
Jon Huntsman said Mr. Obama's decision "to not leave a small, focused presence in Iraq is a mistake and the product of his administration's failures."
"The president's inability to reach a security agreement leaves Iraq vulnerable to backsliding, thus putting our interests in the region at risk," he said. "An ideal arrangement would have left a small troop presence that could have assisted with the training of Iraqi security forces and vital counter-terror efforts."
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is not a candidate and who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said she agreed with Mr. Obama's decision.
"Given the failure of the Iraqi government to agree on a new status of forces agreement that would provide essential legal protections to U.S. troops, I believe the President has made the right decision in withdrawing our troops," she said.
"I have never supported an open-ended and unconditional commitment of U.S. troops in Iraq," continued Collins. "However, I do remain concerned that many U.S. military officials have repeatedly said that they believe a residual force of U.S. troops might have to remain in order to continue training Iraqi troops to help ensure that the significant gains we have made there, at great cost to American blood and treasure, are not lost."
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Look at their pattern. Since the elections in 2008, everything they have done has been about preventing the Democrats in office from passing anything.
They have sat on their hands and said no to anything that is put on the table. While the country has sank into this depression, the Republican Party,having been hijacted by the radical right, have done everything they can with the just say no mentality to win back power at the expense of this country and the economy, along with the out of work, underemployed, and shrinking middle class. The Republican return to power in 2010 on the backs of the ultraconservative Tea Party emboldened them to take further steps to disassemble the backing of the Democrats by any means necessary. When you look at the agendas they are pushing in the 50 states, its not hard to see the final goals are not as much about 'saving' the state and local governments from financial ruin as it is to kill the opposition.
We should fear greatly a group that is willing to let the people of this country suffer while they battle to protect those who have weathered quite well the effects of this crisis.
I beleive that some recent statistics show the trhe top 1% have increased their wealth about 22% since 2007 while the middle class have withered away and overall the bottom 99% have lost significantly.
Jobs creation in this country will take assitance from our government as it has in times past through the rough times until Corporate America has a need to increase its labor force.
The sad thing is that both sides have ideas that will benefit the country and the people, but compromise from the radical viewpoints has to be made. This includes, much to the radical rights dismay, funding the comeback from available resources.
Especially, since he hides behind his religion as an excuse NOT to
take part in this country's military; though, he has NO problem
at all taking part and prospering from the economic freedom
in this country, protected by the sweat and blood of OTHERS,
and NOT him!
Given Saddam's penchant for WMDs, his continuation of various WMD and other illegal weapons programs, and his cooperation with international Islamic terrorist organization's including al-Qaeda, we would have been irreponsible to not deal with the Iraq threat in a post-9/11 world. Not dealing with those attacking and threatening us is what led to 9/11. Just ask Clinton.
The republican party have notting to offer but war and distruction both at home and abroad. They brought about millions of people in this country being out of work. They will like to continue their war of convenience in Iraq forever. It is way past time to bring our troops home and start rebuilding our country.
George Washington "I can not tell a lie" Romney & Perry, "I sure the heck to tell a lie"
War in itself is a beast that must be slain, so we can rebuild America.
I certainly hope Romney is wrong, but I feel sure he is right. Washington has been in chaos for the last two years, and I am afraid this is more of the same. I certainly hope President Obama is not so irresponsible as to risk the stability of a new Iraq by an attempt to cater to his left wing base. I hope this doesn't undo all that has been accomplished by those who have given their lives. It seems to be totally rash to remove all troops, instead of an orderly downsizing.
A deal to withdraw all troops from Iraq by the end of 2011 was negotiated in 2008, under the administration of former President George W. Bush
So my fellow Americans the GOP & Tea-Party Terrorists are all for spending billions of our hard earned monies to attack and rebuild other nations, but are unwilling to spend money here at home. We (GOP) attacked Iraq under false terms and lies fabricated by the GOP instead of keeping our eye on the real targets. Then we (GOP) relax the rules and regulations governing the financial district and other regulations such as EPA and cause the American Bailouts. Also wanting to cause (because of these relaxed regulations) enormous environmental catastrophes. If the tax payer only knew the infrastructure that we (and our future predecessors) paid for in Iraq and now doing the same in Afghanistan. What the GOP is missing is that they created this War in Iraq under false terms and the contractors who are rebuilding and taking billions are paying for the politicians who are voicing their voices in opposition. Supply & Demand. Double Talk from the GOP! Confuse, scare and conquer the American Voters. Really? And who exactly wants to vote for these people? Well the people working for these companies because they are afraid they'll come back to the realities of no jobs in America and they can't get the politicians to do things here so create wars overseas and let Americans be killed to bolster their own agendas. Interesting dilemma. So don't be confused by this GOP & Tea-Party rhetoric and lies. Corrupt politicians hell bent on destroying America from within. Take your country back America and VOTE like your lives depend on it and your future. Because it does. Don't believe the hype and lies of these GOP & Tea-Party Terrorists. Defend your country from within! VOTE! Impeach, and sign petitions and Vote them out of office. March on your states capitols. Send these corrupt Politian's to the ocean with their brother BinLaden!