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Well, it’s a start — U.S. troops may not be flowing steadily out of Iraq yet, but a lot of our stuff is. From the New York Times this morning:
There is no more visible sign that America is putting the Iraq war behind it than the colossal operation to get its stuff out: 20,000 soldiers, nearly a sixth of the force here, assigned to a logistical effort aimed at dismantling some 300 bases and shipping out 1.5 million pieces of equipment, from tanks to coffee makers.
It is the largest movement of soldiers and matériel in more than four decades, the military said.
. . . just as the buildup in the Kuwaiti desert before the 2003 invasion made it plain that the United States was almost certain to go to war, the preparations for withdrawal just as clearly point to the end of the American military role here. Reversing the process, even if Iraq’s relative stability deteriorates into violence, becomes harder every day.
A lot of what the U.S. spent our money to build will be left behind:
Congress has limited the total value of equipment — like computers and furniture — that the military can leave to the Iraqis to roughly $15 million per base, but that amount does not include items considered part of the infrastructure, like buildings, sewerage and power facilities.
. . . Commanders say it is often simply more economical to turn over more equipment to the Iraqis because the cost of moving it is prohibitive. Last month, the military announced the end of its detention operations at Camp Bucca on the Kuwaiti border and said that $50 million worth of infrastructure and equipment would be given to the Iraqis.
But the sad truth is that not all of the items are coming home:
The military has largely identified which materials are not essential anymore and has begun to move them out of the country, in some cases to Afghanistan. For instance, lumber, ammunition and barriers used to defend against car bombs are all desperately needed in Afghanistan, and as bases are taken apart here, those are among the items sent to the fight there, commanders said.
Just goes to show that a Nobel Peace Prize winner’s work is never done, I guess. . . .
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Thanks Swopa – hope we start taking a look at what we’re doing in Afghanistan. We are slow learners.
I’ll take this as good news:)
Obama has for the time being decided to keep troops in place in Afghanistan (though he won’t be upping them). However, he’s actually considering a switch in strategy that would wind up allowing the Taliban an official place in Afghanistan’s internal politics — which since they’re such a large presence in the country, is a recognition of reality.
Half out of the frying pan and into the fire.
20,000 troops working to dismantle 300 bases I think thats change I can believe in. Still I would like Obama to push that fact more:)
Look at PW’s 3 allowing the Taliban a place in politics that is a step in the right direction. Now we have to keep the pressure on no more troops to Afghanistan.
And If John McCain don’t like it he better find a majority of GOPers willing to support tax increases to keep the troops there. Talk is cheap Talk don’t pay the bills (John’s wife pays the bills).
I assume these 20,000 troops working to get us out of Iraq are the reason why Obama got the Prize?
So, how much oil do we get in payment for all the stuff we’re giving the Irakis. Better yet, may we please have a check made out to the US Treasury rather than Exxon?
I want to see what kind of SOFA comes at the end of this disaster.
Charles Pierce had this comment on Afghanistan today. He nails it, as usual:
“I am admittedly not an expert on the culture and politics of what we all used to call the Near East. I am particularly not expert on the politics and culture of Afghanistan–which, come to think of it, puts me in roughly the same boat as Alexander The Great, several Caesars, a handful of British PM’s, and Leonid Brezhnev, all of whom down through the centuries paid far more dearly for their ignorance than I ever will. But I do know that there is in this country a seriously building sense that the war there has spiraled beyond any rational attempt to control it. Correct me if I’m wrong but what I see now is a vicious and expanding tribal conflict the roots of which go back beyond the invention of movable type, and one that’s now energized by a thoroughly modern war between several thoroughly modern drug cartels, all of which is taking place right on top of the least stable member of the Nuclear Bomb Club. And we’re the referees. How this is possibly a coherent foreign policy moving forward is, I confess, beyond me, but it’s going to be what finally blows up the Obama Administration politically. Of that, I am certain.”
Um…Yup.
link
Whoa, 10 penny nail hit with a 16 ounce framing hammer.
I wonder how all this squares with no further withdrawal of troops until next year and the clear desire by Obama to keep around 50,000 troops in Iraq indefinitely.
Re Pierce, just a historical note: the Romans were never within hundreds of miles of Afghanistan.
You might want to shoot him a note over at:
http://www.thenation.com/blogs…..ker_friday
Nice catch, wrt the “several Caesars” reference. That’s one reason I love this place … the brain power catches every error.
Methinks Obama will separate AQ from the Taliban. It’s been said that Mullah Omar wanted to offer up OBL and key AQ heads [pun intended] in exchange for a truce with America but Bush/Cheney ignored him.
If that turns out to be true thats the sort of thing Obama should declassify now. Torture, WMD the 20%ers don’t care but turning down a chance to get Ossama and Ossama is still free?
I think even the 20%ers would support a trial for that Criminal Negligence maybe?
“Nice catch, wrt the “several Caesars” reference. That’s one reason I love this place … the brain power catches every error.”
This has started me wondering. I can’t imagine Pierce just up and missed the point, but anything’s possible. A clarification is probably in order.
I don’t know who Pierce is, but Hugh is practically infallible, IMVHO.
thanks for noting that, and quite correct. the romans, actually, only knew the part of the world known as afghanistan even existed from the semi-mythological “histories” that were then available, of alexander the great. the romans knew enough about engineering and management to stay out of the himalayas.
And don’t forget, those arguing that Obama has no “real accomplishments”, that Iraq withdrawal is a major accomplishment.