Obama's Correct Iraq Withdrawal Decision
November 09, 2011 at 7:22 PM
By MIKE BROWN
Gene Cordes's October 28th letter is just another fact-free rant by right-wingers who refuse to give President Obama credit for any of his considerable national security successes.
Mr. Obama's recent announcement that we are withdrawing our troops from Iraq by December 31st merely carries out the agreement reached in 2008 between President Bush and Iraq's Prime Minister al-Maliki.
President Obama was trying to negotiate a limited extension of our presence with al-Maliki, but the democratic Iraqi parliament refused to grant our soldiers customary wartime immunity from prosecution for Iraqi deaths. Obama refused to put our soldiers in further jeopardy by subjecting them to uncertain Iraqi law. I'm sure Mr. Cordes wouldn't want that either.
Iran was strengthened the day we invaded Iraq and overthrew Saddam and his Sunni regime, which had held the Shiite Iran in check. Now, Shiite-controlled Iraq and Iran are close friends and allies with Iran gaining more and more strength because of the relationship.
President Obama never ignores his military advisors, as Mr. Cordes claims. And, he doesn't fire those who disagree with him like Bush did. Military leaders didn't want to leave their soldiers unnecessarily vulnerable without immunity any more than Obama did.
President Obama has been a highly successful national security president, killing the world's four top terrorists including Osama bin Laden, winning a war (Libya) in eight months with limited expenditures and no U.S. casualties, killing over 1,200 Taliban and Al Queda leaders, and ending this misguided Iraq adventure.
Tags:
Category: Viewpoints
Please add a comment
Leave a Reply
Recent Viewpoints
Andy's Mendacity
By RICHARD CALKINS
Two recent press releases from Andy Harris vividly demonstrate his dis...
Drinking the Water
By RICHARD CALKINS
“The reason I got involved in public service… if I had to credit one thinker, ...
Candidate for the Bully Pulpit
By RICH LEVY
Now we're treated to accounts of Mitt Romney's prep school "pranks", including ganging...
Indiana GOP Make a Bad Choice
By FRANK LAWLOR
The respected Republican Senator Richard Lugar was defeated in a primary election.
...
Forum Events
| May 2012 | ||||||
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| << | -=- | >> |
| Mon - Jun 04 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
Opening of Forum Headquarters |
|
| Sat - Jun 16 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM |
Grand Opening of Forum Headquarters |
|
| Sun - Jun 24 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
Democratic Women's Club Annual Meeting with Senator Ben Cardin |
|
| Wed - Jul 04 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM |
Forum July 4 Celebration |
Board of Directors
President Richard Calkins
Vice President Bob Potter
Secretary Marilyn Furlong
Treasurer Paula Lowry
Board members
Steve Bailey
Wayne Brobst
Pamela Clay
Francine DeSanctis
Charlene DeShields
June McGuckian
Jane Hohnson
Rick Lynch
Blair Potter
Joyce Scharch
Hasan Wilson