President Obama: Pulling all U.S. troops out of Iraq was not 'my decision'

2014-08-11T12:38:43-04:00

Deniability seems to be how this administrations deals with situations that don't bode well with their ideas, actions and decisions. I suppose if you fire enough generals you can find one that agrees with you. Then you can blame them for the decision to leave. IMHO! But if this administration is not to blame who is?

Obama: Pulling All U.S. Troops Out of Iraq Was Not 'My Decision'

(CNSNews.com) - When he was running for re-election in 2012, President Barack Obama repeatedly took credit for ending the war in Iraq and bringing all U.S. troops home from that country. At the White House on Saturday, however, when talking about his decision to use military force against the al-Qaida-related ISIS terrorist group in Iraq, Obama said removing all U.S. troops from Iraq was not “my decision.”

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2014 1:41 PM

2014-08-11T13:41:30-04:00

He can always deny and look better, isn't that what politicians do blame their advisors and fire them.

Response by LCpl Steve Wininger made Aug 11 at 2014 2:20 PM

2014-08-11T14:20:09-04:00

It is funny that Obama campaigned on a promise to end the Iraq war, even as a senator, he was trying to stop the war. When the last troops were pulled out of Iraq, Obama claimed all responsibility because everything appeared fine at the time.

Fast forward a few years and now it appears that pulling out could have been a mistake. So, in his usual, I will blame Bush style, he blames the Iraqi government for our troops having to leave.

I read several articles yesterday and learned that there is only a half truth to the story being circulated that claims it was the Iraqi government that wanted us out. The administration dropped the ball on negotiations. The Iraqi government was willing to work with the US, but the administration seemed to ignore them. IMHO, the administration did not want to negotiate, thus giving them a future excuse.

The trend of this current administration has always been to blame someone else when things go wrong, and except credit when they go right. And when things go from good to bad, create a diversion, the American people have a short memory.

Lastly, it is easy to deceive many when you fire people that disagree with you, just so you can get someone into a position of authority that will agree, regardless of how crazy the claims are.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2014 3:05 PM

2014-08-11T15:05:37-04:00

Funny.

Why were we there in the first place? Thats another topic for another time. In my opinion we needed to pull out of either Iraq or Afghanistan. The Army could not maintain that battle rhythm. It was putting alot of stress on Soldiers and families. The Army had to lower standards on everything just to keep up the man power to sustain these depolyments. All for what?
Personally Im glad we left, professionally we shoudnt have left because any person with any type of military training could see they (iraq) was not ready to protect themselves. The military looked like a rag bag bunch of Iraqis thrown together with no common goal. Im not going to get into all of that right now.
Hindsight is 20/20 but while we were drawing down there was very few people, media, disagreeing with this plan.
All these Presidential administrations deny, lie, cheat, and do whatever they need to do to keep their jobs. Let me change that to 99.9% of politicians deny, lie cheat and steal. So why are we concerned that the POTUS said it wasnt his idea to pull out? What about a former POTUS declaring mission complete?

Response by Sgt Adan Olid made Aug 11 at 2014 4:11 PM

2014-08-11T16:11:54-04:00

Lets call a spade a spade here. The last two administrations have plenty of blame to accept on the wars. Bashing the current administration makes you just as much buying into the rhetoric as it is to remove the blame from Bush.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Aug 11 at 2014 5:24 PM

2014-08-11T17:24:48-04:00

The U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (official name: Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States Forces from Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities during Their Temporary Presence in Iraq) was a status of forces agreement (SOFA) between Iraq and the United States, signed by President George W. Bush in 2008. It established that U.S. combat forces would withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, and all U.S. forces will be completely out of Iraq by December 31, 2011.

Response by CMDCM Gene Treants made Aug 11 at 2014 5:28 PM

2014-08-11T17:28:13-04:00

Why is anyone at all surprised by this President changing his tune and denying anything. His supporters do not remember anything unless it is the promises he makes to them for free things. People who remember and point put his errors are not allowed to ask questions at future press briefings, so reporters do not report, they play the game.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2014 6:47 PM

2014-08-11T18:47:06-04:00

I'm not interested in blaming someone for what they would, should, or could have done to make the current situation come out differently. That is what history books and memoirs are for. However, I am VERY interested in what our leaders plan on doing to address this problem. We find ourselves in a shooting war again people. Those ISIL muldoons are some very bad customers; so radical even Al Qaeda threw them out. Now they have resources and are attacking everyone in the area to establish an Islamic state. Basically, the worst case scenario is playing out.
Regardless of what you think of GWB or BHO, there are some tough decisions ahead and we in the profession of arms may well have to ruck up again. I'll bet both of them would like a mulligan on some of their decision-making. That said, I hope the President gets this one right. This problem has the potential to disrupt the entire region.

Oh yes. On the original premise of "It was not my decision". The most absurd comment possible in this situation. He is the Commander-in-Chief. He can launch nuclear missiles whenever he wants. To say that "oh, well. The pieces are in motion. Nothing I can do about it." Is preposterous. Lest we forget, it was a full TWO YEARS after the election that we pulled out of Iraq. Ample time to figure out what you want to do and implement it. Except he already knew. He'd been saying it for over four years prior to sitting in the Oval Office. He made the decisions he made. He should own them.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2014 6:50 PM

2014-08-11T18:50:15-04:00

You know what they say "Behind every great man is a great woman."

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2014 12:57 AM

2014-08-12T00:57:23-04:00

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member I agree and sadly no one can hold him accountable. LCpl Steve Wininger SPC Charles Brown MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2014 7:12 AM

2014-08-12T07:12:45-04:00

There has to be more the story. did he stop there or he continued by saying they were not able to reach an agreement with the Iraqi gvnt? let's get the whole story.
Going to Iraq was a wrong move in the first place.

Response by CPT Ahmed Faried made Sep 10 at 2014 12:45 AM

2014-09-10T00:45:15-04:00

He gave the order yes, but the Iraqis refused to sign the status of forces agreement.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2014 3:41 PM

2014-09-24T15:41:18-04:00

That was his WHOLE campaign. And thats how this administration works. Take credit when things go well, blame Bush and others when things go bad

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Sep 24 at 2014 6:35 PM

2014-09-24T18:35:57-04:00

But bombing ISIS was...

Response by CPT Ahmed Faried made Sep 26 at 2014 5:57 AM

2014-09-26T05:57:16-04:00

Response by CPT Ahmed Faried made Sep 26 at 2014 6:05 AM

2014-09-26T06:05:53-04:00

http://world.time.com/2011/10/21/iraq-not-obama-called-time-on-the-u-s-troop-presence/

Iraq’s Government, Not Obama, Called Time on the U.S. Troop Presence | TIME.com

President Barack Obama's announcement on Friday that all 40,000 U.S. troops still in Iraq will leave the country by New Year's Eve will, inevitably, draw howls of derision from GOP presidential hopefuls -- this is, after all, early election season.

Response by PO2 Rocky Kleeger made Sep 26 at 2014 1:46 PM

2014-09-26T13:46:29-04:00

When the last troops were pulled out of Iraq, Obama claimed all responsibility because everything appeared fine at the time. And then, when it was shown for the mistake it was, he changed his tune. Of course, he changes his tune more often than I change my skivvies...

It was a mistake to go there in the first place, but to come out when and how we did was a bigger mistake, one that he is no longer copping to

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2014 11:58 AM

2014-11-04T11:58:19-05:00

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member This is the problem with politics that each side knows how to spin and be technically correct. As long as we have riders on the defense bill and other bills, we will have these tag along issues that make them all look incorrect. In my opinion, today's White House is particularly adroit at damage control and down right fabrications of truth.

Response by SPC James Mcneil made Nov 4 at 2014 1:22 PM

2014-11-04T13:22:17-05:00

So in spite of the fact that he campaigned on the promise to do so, it wasn't his decision. How dumb does he think we are?