In terms of the rest of the “Coalition of the Willing” almost everyone left at the end of the UN mandate in 2008, a few were trying to keep in with the US and were willing to stay. Maliki politely but FIRMLY said NO and you can have a further 7 months to be packed up and gone but I want you out by July 31 2009.

UK was relaxed about taking out combat troops but clearly talked about leaving behind 5-600 troops “training” Iraqi forces around 50 at Coalition HQ in Baghdad, 250 working with the Iraqi Navy and protecting Oil pipelines off Basra, 3-400 training the Iraqi Army and some more with the fledgling Iraqi Air Force.

The Iraqi’s had another view, coalition HQ thanks but we do not need them, training the Army thanks but no, training the Air Force thanks but no, working with the Navy yes but only 150 are required and on our terms.
The agreement for the 150 working with the Navy has been delayed going through the Iraqi Parliament and as the Parliament has now gone into recess the UK sailors and Marines have withdrawn to Kuwait, in the hope that the agreement will be ratified in September, but unless it is ratified soon the logic quickly becomes the Iraqis have coped for 3-6 months so why are they needed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl…..ate-kuwait

If the Shia and Kurds can avoid bloodshed over Kirkurk we could genuinely get US withdrawal in Obamas first term.

This landmark work, based on Frances FitzGerald’s own research and travels in Southeast Asia in the era of the Vietnam War, takes us inside Vietnam — into the traditional, ancestor-worshiping villages and the corrupt, crowded cities, into the conflicts between Communists and anti-Communists, Catholics and Buddhists, generals and monks — and reveals the country as if through Vietnamese eyes. With a clarity and authority unrivaled by any book before it or since, Fire in the Lake shows how America utterly and tragically misinterpreted the realities of Vietnam.

Publisher’s synopsis of the reprint (2002)

Originally published in 1972 it’s a must read if this is your area of interest.

Wonder if there’s some metaphysical connection between Fire in the Lake and FireDogLake.

Although at his age, it’s also true that at some point he’ll be gone altogether.

And it will be as disappointing to Iran as it is to the US.

Imagine a Saddam Hussein with a Shi’ite majority. That is the worst-case scenario. A person who is living Ahmedinejad’s dream.

So where does Sistani play into this drama, or is he gone altogether?

vietnams will continue until the american public looks into a mirror and sees their imperialism

even most progressives are imperialists

and most liberals

most all of americans are imperialists and dont have a clue they are.

super power national ego thing

note even obama has added to the budget for military and our industrial military complex

go figure but we always have hope. :-)