Iraqi prime minister says U.S. troops can go 'anytime they want' -

[Jarrod]

One of the big questions surrounding Ron Paul's campaign is what would happen if we abruptly pull out of Iraq, as he suggests we do. Most fear that it will be similar to what happened in Vietnam with millions of Cambodians being killed.

This CNN article has the Iraqi Prime Minister claiming that they can take care of themselves. While this could just be them trying to bolster confidence in their government, it does make me wonder how much we really "need" to be there, and how bad it would really be if we left quickly.

It is no secret that our government "Wants" to stay there in order to build military bases and insure our cut of the oil profits.

Would pulling out quickly really be as bad as some would have us believe?

I see this is as being one of the primary issues Ron is going to have to deal with after winning the nomination.

Heres the link to the story:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/07/14/iraq.military.ap/index.html

[kalami]

Somewhat related - Has any other candidate come out and said that the Iraq wars were fought for oil, besides Ron Paul, of the Republicans and Democratic front runners?

[rg123]

Bush will not leave its an occupation and invasion so the Iraqi PM has called bush out yesterday and he either leaves or is proven to be a lier which he is by his words allready below as saying "invitation"


Over the weekend it has been reported that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
Iraqi PM: U.S. Troops Can Leave Any Time They Want

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 24, 2007 : http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070524.html


Q Thank you, Mr. President. You say you want nothing short of victory, that leaving Iraq would be catastrophic; you once again mentioned al Qaeda. Does that mean that you are willing to leave American troops there, no matter what the Iraqi government does? I know this is a question we've asked before, but you can begin it with a "yes" or "no."

THE PRESIDENT: We are there at the invitation of the Iraqi government. This is a sovereign nation. Twelve million people went to the polls to approve a constitution. It's their government's choice. If they were to say, leave, we would leave.

Q -- catastrophic, as you've said over and over again?

THE PRESIDENT: I would hope that they would recognize that the results would be catastrophic. This is a sovereign nation, Martha. We are there at their request. And hopefully the Iraqi government would be wise enough to recognize that without coalition troops, the U.S. troops, that they would endanger their very existence. And it's why we work very closely with them, to make sure that the realities are such that they wouldn't make that request -- but if they were to make the request, we wouldn't be there.

[Jarrod]

"If they were to say leave, we would go"

Somehow I doubt that.

[ThePieSwindler]

"If they were to say leave, we would go"

Somehow I doubt that.

Ya think? Why are they building military bases there, if we are going to be leaving when Iraq no longer needs our help. Because we aren't going to leave, at least, not under Bush. Under a Clinton or an Obama, we MIGHT pull out of Iraq, sure, but then we will go after Iran or something. And we'll still be living under the PATRIOT act.