What Obama Didn’t Say

The address to the joint session of Congress would have been a wonderful opportunity to announce Iraq withdrawal plans. President Obama did say he’d “soon announce a way forward in Iraq,” but what he didn’t say is that plans are in place to get most troops out by August of next year.  Obama campaigned on getting us out in 16 months, but the time frame is a bit longer because of a compromise made with advisors and commanders. 

Obama expects to leave a large contingent of troops in Iraq, between 30,000 and 50,000 troops, after August, 2010 to advise and train Iraqi security forces and to protect U.S. interests, according to two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not been made public. The contingent will include intelligence and surveillance specialists and their equipment, such as unmanned aircraft.

All troops will be out by December 2012 by agreement with the Iraq government.  That agreement was made with the Bush administration, by the way.  Remember them? The folks who said they didn’t want a timeline?

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.