Possible good news out of Iraq

According to a story on NPR, there is word that Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri Al Maliki is "talking tough" and saying he wants all US troops out of Iraq by the previously-set deadline.

Thank you, Mr. Maliki.  We couldn't agree more.

Here's the jist of the article:

It's long been assumed that the withdrawal deadline of December 2011 would be renegotiated — that Iraq might need some kind of troop presence beyond then. But lately, it's looking like the United States and Iraq might have to come up with another plan.

Over the past two years, U.S. troops have remained in Iraq under a treaty between the two countries known as a Status of Forces Agreement.

The treaty is set to expire at the end of this year. But American generals and Iraqi politicians have long hinted that the two sides might reach a deal to extend the deadline — if, of course, the Iraqi government formally requested it.

But in an interview Maliki granted The Wall Street Journal last week, he said the existing agreement is "sealed" — and subject to neither extension nor alteration. Still, he did seem to leave open the possibility of a new agreement.

No, no, Mr. Maliki, stick with the plan.  Throw our butts out.  Have us bring ALL our soldiers home.  You run your country and let us stick with ours.

Hopefully this isn't just a ploy on his/their part to get yet more money out of the stupid Americans.  You know, "Well, we might let you stay a while longer if you'll give us $X million to stay in the meantime--but only for a while..."

And hopefully this means our soldiers can come home sooner rather than later.

Of  course, in the meantime, it also means that George W. Bush's, Dick Cheney's and Halliburton's ridiculous, huge and extravagant "embassy compound" we built over there--the largest in the world--will go to some waste but hey, we knew that when they started building the ignorant thing, didn't we?

Link to original post:  http://www.npr.org/2011/01/04/132632709/in-surprise-iraq-may-enforce-withdrawal-deadline