Iraq War Ending...........Almost In Secret

[Count Bobulescu]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/natio...-bang-20111017

The Iraq War began with Pentagon officials boasting about an initial offensive that would “shock and awe” the enemy, then-President George W. Bush flying a military plane to an aircraft carrier for a high-profile address to thousands of cheering troops, and round-the-clock coverage on the nation’s TV networks. Eight and a half grueling years later, the deeply unpopular conflict is set to end with a whimper, not a bang.

Washington and Baghdad’s failure to agree on a troop-extension deal means that virtually all of the 43,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq will stream out of the country over the next six weeks,bringing a quiet end to a conflict that began with so much bombast.

Regardless of the final number, however, two things appear clearer than ever: The Iraq War is rapidly winding down, and no one – American or Iraqi – seems inclined to talk about it.

[Count Bobulescu]

Here's Wiki on US troops overseas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...ry_deployments

[Sam Lord]

War over. Iran won.

[C. Flower]

Would anyone be able to explain this graph to me ?

5,000 troops are to stay in Iraq, is that right ? And they want immunity from prosecution? How many from the mercenary firms ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...ry_deployments

[Sam Lord]

Would anyone be able to explain this graph to me ?

Sure.

Red line on this chart represents the share of the overseas troops of the USA, based on the data from the United States Department of Defense. Black line represents troops that fall under 'Undistributed' category in the reports (e.g. no country of dislocation is indicated).

[C. Flower]

Thankyou, but I'm still no wiser.

The Wiki map is not complete either. It doesn't seem to be a particularly well developed page as yet.

[Sam Lord]

Thankyou, but I'm still no wiser.

The Wiki map is not complete either. It doesn't seem to be a particularly well developed page as yet.

I'm reading it as the red line bring the percentage of US troops that are based abroad.

The black line is the percentage of US troops that they are not saying where they are.

[C. Flower]

I'm reading it as the red line bring the percentage of US troops that are based abroad.

The black line is the percentage of US troops that they are not saying where they are.

I couldn't see a mention of Aircraft carriers.

Drones are changing things too.

The absence of boots on the ground doesn't mean the absence of war.

Going back to Iraq, do you not think that the US mission was accomplished ?

The country is crippled.

[Sam Lord]

Going back to Iraq, do you not think that the US mission was accomplished ?

The country is crippled.

I think they genuinely thought that they could march into Baghdad, have flowers thrown at their feet, and install a compliant government.

Iraq may be wrecked but so is the US economy and whatever bit of standing they had left in the world.

It was an unmitigated disaster for them imo. And I'm not that convinced it is entirely over either.

[C. Flower]

I think they genuinely thought that they could march into Baghdad, have flowers thrown at their feet, and install a compliant government.

Iraq may be wrecked but so is the US economy and whatever bit of standing they had left in the world.

It was an unmitigated disaster for them imo. And I'm not that convinced it is entirely over either.

It ain't over till it's over. The whole of the rest of the Middle East and N. Africa could not be in uproar and Iraq not affected. There were demonstrations there a while back. I haven't seen any recent reports.

[Count Bobulescu]

Apologies, I should have included the following in the OP. From an embed in the original link. Paraphrased.

Apart from 160 for Embassy protection, all US troops will likely be out of Iraq over the next few weeks. No longer any suggestion that 5,000 or even 2,000 will remain.

Obama plans similar for Afghan by 2014.

For mercenaries, see Blackwater Corp. now renamed Xe Services.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwater_Worldwide

[fluffybiscuits]

Would anyone be able to explain this graph to me ?

5,000 troops are to stay in Iraq, is that right ? And they want immunity from prosecution? How many from the mercenary firms ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...ry_deployments

Im sorry but immunity from prosecution? Does that not say they know they are going to get their own way whatever means possible and in donig so cant be tried for it? Abu Garhib no 2 on the way me thinks..."We were getting information out of them necessary for protection of the USA"....

[morticia]

I think they genuinely thought that they could march into Baghdad, have flowers thrown at their feet, and install a compliant government.

Rumsfeld and Bush had convinced themselves of that. Colin Powell and pretty much all of the military top brass thought otherwise. Guess who got it right... and wasn't listened to.... yurp... the US army!

Moral of ye tale, if the experts say it won't work, it's often a good idea to listen.

[sinsin]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtFwqHp0M-s&feature=feedu"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtFwqHp0M-s&feature=feedu[/ame]

[Fermoy]

Im sorry but immunity from prosecution? Does that not say they know they are going to get their own way whatever means possible and in donig so cant be tried for it? Abu Garhib no 2 on the way me thinks..."We were getting information out of them necessary for protection of the USA"....

It says that the USA is going to commit war crimes and doesn't give a stuff who knows about it.