Nu lyder det så, at han (Obama) 'opfylder sit valgløfte', og trækker de amerikanske tropper hjem fra det krigsplagede land.
Fx: i Politiken:
USA’s præsident Barack Obama har erklæret, at de amerikanske kampoperationer i landet skal være afsluttet 31. august 2010.
Det er korrekt at Obamas politik indebærer en væsentlig reduktion i antallet af amerikanske soldater i Irak, men det er derimod lodret forkert, at der skulle være tale om, at USA trækker sig ud af Irak, eller at kampoperationerne er afsluttet.
For det første, skal der stadig være op til 50.000 amerikanske soldater i Irak efter tilbagetrækningen(ord har ligesom ikke rigtig længere nogen mening).
For det andet, var det i starten ikke meningen at det begrænsede antal tropper der skulle være tilbage efter tilbagetrækningen (som altså nu er 50.000!), skulle være involverede i kampoperationer... men som det ser ud nu:
New York Times:
While most of the troops remaining after August 2010 would be in support roles, some would still be serving in combat as they conducted counterterrorism missions.
“I think a limited number of those that remain will conduct combat operations against terrorists, assisting Iraqi security forces,” said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, summarizing past descriptions of the new mission offered by administration and Defense Department officials.
Den meget omtalte Status of Forces Agreement(SOFA) - mesterligt gennemgået af Poya Pakzad her - er så fuld af smuthuller, at det overhovedet ikke giver mening at tale om en tilbagetrækning; det der derimod sker er, at de amerikanske soldater flytter sig væk fra byerne, og ud på de permanente baser, som er skudt op rundt omkring i landet, om som det hele tiden har været meningen skulle være rammen om den massive amerikanske, militære tilstedeværelse i et land som aldrig har været en trussel mod USA.
Uddrag af raport fra Global Security:
On 23 March 2004 it was reported that "U.S. engineers are focusing on constructing 14 "enduring bases," long-term encampments for the thousands of American troops expected to serve in Iraq for at least two years.... The number of U.S. military personnel in Iraq, between 105,000 and 110,000, is expected to remain unchanged through 2006.. the US plans to operate from former Iraqi bases in Baghdad, Mosul, Taji, Balad, Kirkuk and in areas near Nasiriyah, near Tikrit, near Fallujah and between Irbil and Kirkuk... enhance airfields in Baghdad and Mosul..."
By May 2005 the Washington Post reported that plans called for consolidating American troops in Iraq into four large air bases: Tallil in the south, Al Asad in the west, Balad in the center and either Irbil or Qayyarah in the north. Eventually, US units would be concentrated at these four fortified strategic hubs, from which they could provide logistical support and emergency combat assistance. Each base would support a brigade combat team, along with aviation and other support personnel.
Initially referred to as "enduring bases" in 2004, these four bases were redesignated as "Contingency Operating Bases" in February 2005. The consolidation plan entails construction of long-lasting facilities, such as barracks and offices built of concrete blocks, rather than the metal trailers and buildings that are found at the larger US bases. The buildings are designed to withstand direct mortar strikes. Initial funding was provided in the $82 billion supplemental appropriations bill approved by Congress in May 2005.
The longer term plan for US Central Command calls for "strategic overwatch" from bases in Kuwait.
As of mid-May 2005 it was reported that US forces occupied a total of 106 bases. These ranged in size from the massive Camp Victory complex near the Baghdad airport, to small outposts with as few as 500 soldiers. The US also operates four detention facilities and several other convoy support centers.
Derudover skal beslutningen om reducere antallet af soldater, ses i lyset af, at der skal tilføjes yderligere 17.000 amerikanske soldater til den allerede katastrofale besættelse af Afghanistan.
Change we can believe in?
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