Saturday, August 23, 2008



Leaving Iraq

Finally, the US accepts withdrawal:

U.S. and Iraqi negotiators have agreed to the withdrawal of all U.S. combat forces from the country by the end of 2011, and Iraqi officials said they are "very close" to resolving the remaining issues blocking a final accord that governs the future American military presence here.

Iraqi and U.S. officials said several difficult issues remain, including whether U.S. troops will be subject to Iraqi law if accused of committing crimes. But the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were unauthorized to discuss the agreement publicly, said key elements of a timetable for troop withdrawal once resisted by President Bush had been reached.

"We have a text," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said after a day-long visit Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Doesn't this mean that the terrorists have won?

Snark aside, this is a Good Thing. The US is the major source of trouble in Iraq, and if they weren't there, there wouldn't be a resistance. Once they're gone, Iraq can get on with its life and finally try to rebuild.