If Iraq's own President wants us to bail, why do we insist on staying around?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080825/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_us_pact;_ylt=AvB8XaFjzTqqVzgBOmcg4y.s0NUE

People have said before that we are staying in Iraq to stabilize the government and allow Iraqi citizens the opportunity for a democratic way of life. But it seems the President of Iraq wants us gone. So, why are we staying?

Answer 1

I know.  Well if the republicans wanted to improve their chances in this election they would go ahead and agree to may of 2009.  then Iraq will be happy and the people here who want Obama because they are pissed about the war would chill and then McCain's chances would improve.  But they really want to stay until Iraq can support itself it looks like, which is good that they arent putting their own political goals ahead of what is best.

Answer 2

because life is not the spin that you interpret to suit your own feelings...we are working on an agreement that will spell out U.S./Iraqi cooperative strategy for the next two decades....one element of that is determining how and when U.S. military activities will be phased out and handled solely by the Iraqis....Iraqi wants a defined plan...

...don't believe me?  then produce a single source (not sound-byte headline) that says they want us out right now...

Answer 3

Bush has also agreed to the 2011 time table.  Iraqis still have to be trained and equipped.  For instance, Iraq doesn't have much of an air force, which is a vital part of modern warfare.  Without air cover, a large army can be destroyed in a few days.

Answer 4

Because he wants us there until 2011

Answer 5

So republicans will not have to admit they were wrong.

Answer 6

world corporations haven't got all they want out of Iraq yet.

Answer 7

The Iraqi government is a corrupt puppet state -- what it wants has little effect on what we do.  The Iraqi people have wanted us gone for years.

The Iraqi government has difficulty operating because much of the time, most of its members are in Europe, stocking bank accounts and setting up connections so that they can flee the country when the whole thing falls aparty; there aren't enough politicians around to have a legitimate parliamentary session.  Of course, you never hear THIS on Fox News.

We are going to pull our troops out over 2009-2011 regardless of who wins.  If it is Obama, he will follow something resembling his announced plan.  If it's McCain, he'll declare that the "surge worked" and everything is great now, so we can leave.

The difference is how many troops will remain.  We are building 24 permanent bases in Iraq.  That's a lot of military bases for a country the size of California and it is an awful lot of foreign military bases for a supposedly sovereign country.

Anyone who goes on about how "Al Qaeda" (which was never a major factor in Iraq) is going to take over when we leave is just spouting propaganda.  Read Iraqi blogs and read sources like Juan Cole to get the real story.