Iraq Withdrawal Date For U.S. Troops May Be Pushed Back Beyond 2011
By Amanda Terkel
May 11, 2011
WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is evaluating whether to keep troops in Iraq beyond the planned withdrawal date, a decision that would extend an unpopular war that the American public expected to end this year.
The Status of Forces Agreement signed by Iraq and the United States during the Bush administration says all U.S. troops must leave Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011. But the contract also leaves the door open to further negotiations that would delay withdrawal.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said members of the Iraqi government have indicated they are "very open to a continuing presence" by the United States.
"And so the
politicians, I think, the leaders understand the need for this kind of help, but no one wants to be the first one there supporting it," added Gates, acknowledging such a decision will face resistance in Iraq (not to mention in the United States, where just 33 percent of the public now supports the war).
Read the full article at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/11/iraq-withdrawal-2011-delay_n_860188.html
There are still 47,000 U.S. troops and 63,000 American contractors along with 100 U.S. bases and 1 million pieces of military equipment in Iraq! BBI