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Fareed Zakaria: Iraq Withdrawal Is Victory For Iran
NewsBusters ^ | 10/22/11 | Noel Sheppard

Posted on 10/22/2011 2:36:10 PM PDT by Evil Slayer

As the media did a victory lap over Friday's announcement by President Obama that all American troops would be removed from Iraq by the end of the year, Fareed Zakaria took a surprisingly contrary position.

Speaking from Tehran with a variety of CNN hosts throughout the day, Zakaria said this development was a disappointment for the United States and a victory for Iran.

(video follows with transcript and commentary)

JOHN KING, HOST: A simple question up front. U.S. troops leaving Iraq by the end of the year, Iran has to view this as a victory.

FAREED ZAKARIA: Oh, I'm sure it views it as a victory. Iran views what had happened in Iraq entirely from a kind of geopolitical prism. That is the U.S. and Iran are competing for influence in Iraq. They have viewed it that way from the start of the fall of the regime and they have their agents in there and Iran has long ties to many of threat groups that are now dominant in Iraq.

Prime Minister Maliki and his party were in exile in Iran for 10 years. Many of the Kurdish leaders, including the current president of Iraq, was in Iran. Many of them speak fluent Persian. They have long and ongoing ties. Muqtada al-Sadr, when he finds that things get difficult for him in Iraq he head backs to Iran. So all of these political officials have been nourished sustained by Iran. And as American troops draw down, Iran's influence can only increase.

KING: And this sounds incredibly crass, but is this a fair bottom line? That after almost nine years, billions of dollars in U.S. money and nearly 4,500 lives lost of brave U.S. service men and women, that Iran wins?

(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alsadr; dogofislam; endofiraqwar; fareedzakaria; iran; iraq; mookie; mutthamad; obama
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To: The Great RJ

A flood of more and more muslims into the US when the slaughter of collaborators begins.

So, how long after we leave does Iraq offically call for the extermination of Israel?


21 posted on 10/22/2011 3:20:09 PM PDT by wolficatZ (Somebody once wrote "Revenge is a dish that has to be eaten cold".)
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To: Evil Slayer
Glad to see that someone was willing to admit the plain truth, this was a diplomatic failure of the obama administration. After almost three years, he couldn't get the Iraqis to man up to standard terms. His dithering and constant yammering about pulling out cost us the credibility required to counter the Iranian influence.

After all this, we give away a strategic advantage in the region with nothing in exchange. The Iraqis have unceremoniously thrown us out and deprived us of a vital intel and security asset.

22 posted on 10/22/2011 3:26:23 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
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To: Evil Slayer

Muslims killing Muslims. What’s not to like?


23 posted on 10/22/2011 3:39:12 PM PDT by Lexington Green (''Those who bite the hand that feeds them will lick the boots that kick them.'' -- Eric Hoffer)
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To: F15Eagle
Which takes us back to unconventional means.

Carpet bombing till they say uncle.
24 posted on 10/22/2011 3:44:15 PM PDT by cripplecreek (A vote for Amnesty is a vote for a permanent Democrat majority. ..Choose well.)
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Comment #25 Removed by Moderator

To: Evil Slayer

Zakarias anti Americanism was very amusing to CNN during the bush years. It’s beginning to try their patience as he mocks Dear Leader.


26 posted on 10/22/2011 3:56:51 PM PDT by lonestar67 (I remember when unemployment was 4.7 percent)
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27 posted on 10/22/2011 4:18:35 PM PDT by RedMDer (Forward With Confidence!)
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie

“Landstuhl, Germany”

Served there ‘91 to ‘95.


28 posted on 10/22/2011 4:41:11 PM PDT by Grunthor (Poster may come off as abrasive, perhaps even rude. Consider this your warning.)
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To: Sacajaweau

“I don’t want to pray 5 times a day to some “insane allah”.”

Which ME nation is big and bad enough to invade this country and force you to pray to a fake “god” 5 times a day?


29 posted on 10/22/2011 4:43:29 PM PDT by Grunthor (Poster may come off as abrasive, perhaps even rude. Consider this your warning.)
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie

“Its about OUR interests...”

Like what?


30 posted on 10/22/2011 4:45:34 PM PDT by Grunthor (Poster may come off as abrasive, perhaps even rude. Consider this your warning.)
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie

“With N Korea, we better be in S Korea.”

Why?


31 posted on 10/22/2011 4:46:20 PM PDT by Grunthor (Poster may come off as abrasive, perhaps even rude. Consider this your warning.)
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To: Evil Slayer

He’s right. I just wish he weren’t so happy about it.


32 posted on 10/22/2011 5:07:41 PM PDT by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: TBP

Yes, he is right. One of the only times I have heard him say something that is logical. Maybe he heard this from his good friend at the White House.


33 posted on 10/22/2011 6:01:07 PM PDT by astuddis
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To: Evil Slayer

Newt Gingrich just said the same thing in Iowa. He said that we are going to lose the “3rd Iraq war” because of our premature withdrawl and because Iran will take Iraq over.


34 posted on 10/22/2011 6:37:36 PM PDT by Signalman
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To: Grunthor
I visited the base in early Nov 92...just about the time Clinton was elected. Stayed in a B&B nearby and checked out some restaurants in K-town. It seems like a nice area to work. In 1998/1999 I working in Frankfurt am Main doing some Y2K work for Lufthansa. Frankfurt has more of that big city feel, but fairly modern given the need to rebuild after WWII.
35 posted on 10/22/2011 8:09:40 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: rbg81; Evil Slayer; Recovering Ex-hippie; TBP; Signalman; The Great RJ; EGPWS; cripplecreek
Yesterday the MSM was spinning this as a big foreign policy “Win” for Obama. Yet, basically the Iraqis are telling us to GTFO no residual military presence. It does seem like a ripe target for an expansive Iran.

We call it a failure; they call it a win. When you put this complete withdrawal from Iraq together with Ubama's repeated refusal to intervene in Syria (Iran puppet) and Iran on the verge of nuclear weaponry which they fully intend to use on Israel and ...???....a clear picture emerges. It has always been about The Agenda.

36 posted on 10/23/2011 1:12:53 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
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To: La Enchiladita

Its a mess, no doubt about it.


37 posted on 10/23/2011 1:15:51 PM PDT by cripplecreek (A vote for Amnesty is a vote for a permanent Democrat majority. ..Choose well.)
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To: La Enchiladita

so right, its been the Progressive World agenda since waaaaay back.


38 posted on 10/23/2011 4:38:08 PM PDT by Recovering Ex-hippie (Rick Perry 2012)
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