Straight from the horse's mouth

[Crookshanks]

US troop presence keeps neighbors from invading Iraq: Talabani
Sep 26 7:12 PM US/Eastern

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that the US military presence in Iraq keeps neighbors from invading his country.

"The American presence has always prevented any kind of foreign invasion to Iraq," Talabani said.

"That's one of the main reasons why we think that we need an American presence, even symbolical, in the country to prevent our neighbors attacking us," he said at a forum at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a Washington think thank.

Talabani also said Baghdad could not "further tolerate" neighbors' interference in its internal affairs.

"I think that our neighbors must understand that our patience is limited," he said, refusing to single out countries but adding "we mean all of them."

Iraq shares borders with Syria, Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Asked if there was concern over aggression from Turkey, Talabani said: "I don't think there is any danger for invasion by Turkey to Iraq."

Iraq has "good relations" with the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and could help Ankara in its conflict with the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), he said.

"We could convince PKK to stop fighting in Turkey," the Iraqi leader said.

Talabani also insisted that Iraq would not spiral down into civil war.

"There would be no civil war. We have problems, we have some kind of extremists who are fighting against each other. They are not representing the whole society," he said.

He also defended the US military presence in Iraq.

"The immediate departure of coalition forces would only unleash the terrorists," Talabani said. "I cannot promise when or how the American presence will completely end in Iraq but I can promise that American soldiers do not fight in vain."
================================

Hmmm... I guess this kinda debunks many of the left's talking points!

[Yonivore]

Hmmm... I guess this kinda debunks many of the left's talking points!
Nah, he's just a Karl Rove puppet.

[boutons_]

"They are not representing the whole society"

no, but they are making reconstruction and normal democratic life impossible.

The Sadr/Badr militias are strong and growing, and have infiltrated the Iraqi Army and police from top to bottom. The Sunnis aren't wimps, either.

"Talabani also insisted that Iraq would not spiral down into civil war."

Iraq already is a civil war. Additionally, non-sectarian criminal gangs and networks springing up due to the absence of legitimate ways to make a living and absence of law enforcement.

Talabani is a US puppet, and as he says, he is totally dependent on the US for his own personal survival. His words are as trustworthy as those from a torture victim.

Thanks to the Repugs, Iraq is in a fucking handbasket on its way to hell.

The Repugs are losing Iraq, and are outright refusing, along with their red-state electors, to do the necessary to win Iraq, and maintain it won for years.

fwiw (at least as worthwhile as dubya's and talebani's words), 70%+ of Iraqis want the US out in one year. I guess they can see that the US presence isn't working to make their life better.

However, the Repug fuckup in Iraq is the devil the Iraqis know.

Do the Iraqis really understand/want to know the devil that will follow?

[Oh, Gee!!]

you know who else kept other countries (except for the US) from invading iraq?

[Oh, Gee!!]

"The American presence has always prevented any kind of foreign invasion to Iraq," Talabani said.

kinda ironic

[johnsmith]

Finally, I've officially put Boutons on ignore. I feel so much more at peace with everything.

[boutons_]

"you know who else kept other countries (except for the US) from invading iraq?"

Saddam

[01Snake]

The Repugs are losing Iraq, and are outright refusing, along with their red-state electors, to do the necessary to win Iraq, and maintain it won for years.



Huh?

[nkdlunch]

you know who else kept other countries (except for the US) from invading iraq?

exactly, plus Saddam also kept his country in order. beleive it or not Saddam was the balance that a country like Iraq needed.

[George Gervin's Afro]

what does this prove? the war is still unecessary..

So since we started the imminent threat/ wmds/liberation experiment no one will invade now? That's reassuring :rolleyes

[ChumpDumper]

Hmmm... I guess this kinda debunks many of the left's talking points!Which ones?

That Iraq is going to be invaded by Jordan?

[Nbadan]

:rolleyes

Talabani as President likely wouldn't even exist without the U.S. continued presence, so to say he is 'biased' over intervention is saying the least.

[George Gervin's Afro]

US troop presence keeps neighbors from invading Iraq: Talabani
Sep 26 7:12 PM US/Eastern

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that the US military presence in Iraq keeps neighbors from invading his country.

"The American presence has always prevented any kind of foreign invasion to Iraq," Talabani said.

"That's one of the main reasons why we think that we need an American presence, even symbolical, in the country to prevent our neighbors attacking us," he said at a forum at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a Washington think thank.

Talabani also said Baghdad could not "further tolerate" neighbors' interference in its internal affairs.

"I think that our neighbors must understand that our patience is limited," he said, refusing to single out countries but adding "we mean all of them."

Iraq shares borders with Syria, Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Asked if there was concern over aggression from Turkey, Talabani said: "I don't think there is any danger for invasion by Turkey to Iraq."

Iraq has "good relations" with the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and could help Ankara in its conflict with the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), he said.

"We could convince PKK to stop fighting in Turkey," the Iraqi leader said.

Talabani also insisted that Iraq would not spiral down into civil war.

"There would be no civil war. We have problems, we have some kind of extremists who are fighting against each other. They are not representing the whole society," he said.

He also defended the US military presence in Iraq.

"The immediate departure of coalition forces would only unleash the terrorists," Talabani said. "I cannot promise when or how the American presence will completely end in Iraq but I can promise that American soldiers do not fight in vain."
================================

Hmmm... I guess this kinda debunks many of the left's talking points!


Provide the talking points you are referring to.. also add the 'libs' who made them..

[Crookshanks]

Provide the talking points you are referring to.. also add the 'libs' who made them..

Nah - you know what they are and who said what. I have better things to do with my time than look up who said what and when. Besides, whatever I posted, you guys would spin to suit your own views, so why bother?

[ChumpDumper]

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[Crookshanks]

See, that's what I'm talking about. I said I wasn't going to take the time to answer what I thought was a stupid question, and you post a quote with my name that says I don't know what I'm talking about.

[ChumpDumper]

I have time to complain about someone pointing out that I don't know what I'm talking about, but not enough time to actually show I know what I'm talking about.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Nah - you know what they are and who said what. I have better things to do with my time than look up who said what and when. Besides, whatever I posted, you guys would spin to suit your own views, so why bother?


Well I am well aware of the Democratic criticisms however after reading the article I could not find anything that refutes any of my beliefs.

[PixelPusher]

"Nope. No possiblility of civil war here. But we really need you guys to stay anyway cause...(cell phone rings)...excuse me, it's my buddy Mamoud from Iran. Gotta take this."

So basically, President Talabani really wants the U.S. troops to stay in Iraq. This is news because...?

[Guru of Nothing]

Talking points are for Neros.

[smeagol]

exactly, plus Saddam also kept his country in order. beleive it or not Saddam was the balance that a country like Iraq needed.
Yep, he kept his country in order by gassing the dissenters. :rolleyes

[boutons_]

"invade cuba"

... if Cuba had oil, we would.

btw, that recent find of very deep oil, 30K feet?, in the Gulf is actually closer to Cuba than it is to our Gulf Coast.

[01Snake]

btw, that recent find of very deep oil, 30K feet?, in the Gulf is actually closer to Cuba than it is to our Gulf Coast.

And?

[midgetonadonkey]

Fuck Iraqis.

[George Gervin's Afro]

why don't we invade cuba


actually getting a steady supply of cuban cigars makes an invasion all worth the while..

[Yonivore]

actually getting a steady supply of cuban cigars makes an invasion all worth the while..
Nah, their tobacco crops have gone to shit.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Nah, their tobacco crops have gone to shit.


what in the hell has castro done? :oops

[RandomGuy]

Talabani also insisted that Iraq would not spiral down into civil war.

"There would be no civil war. We have problems, we have some kind of extremists who are fighting against each other. They are not representing the whole society," he said.

He also defended the US military presence in Iraq.

"The immediate departure of coalition forces would only unleash the terrorists," Talabani said. "I cannot promise when or how the American presence will completely end in Iraq but I can promise that American soldiers do not fight in vain."
================================

Hmmm... I guess this kinda debunks many of the left's talking points!


If true it would.

It would not be good logic to assume he is lying because he would be motivated to say "there is no civil war", but if there were one, would he admit there was?

No, he would not. The smart thing to do would be to seek outside confirmation of the claim.

Thousands of Iraqis are dying EVERY MONTH. Is that not a civil war already to anybody with common sense?

What if spiraling down into a civil war is something out of his control? Civil wars don't normally happen because they can be avoided by one party or another.

I would not assign much weight to what the man says about that.

[boutons_]

Crooks is a "believer" but she cherry picks her beliefs, and certainly doens't let facts get in the way.

Recent polls show 70+% of Iraqis want the Americans out of Iraq within 12 months.

If there were a democratic Iraq referendum on whether the Americans should stay or evacutae, and the vote was 60-40 for evacuation, would the Repugs leave? Or do the Repugs cherry pick only democratic election results the Repugs want, as they cherry pick intelligence to support their phony war or cherry pick poll results?

Of course, Talabani, Maliki, et al will be dead within a week after the last American leaves, if not before. This may somewhat cloud their judgement towards wanting to keep the US military as guarantor of their lives.