Anbar leaders: You know what would be nice now? American combat troops on the ground

Hotair ^ | 10/11/2014 | Ed Morrissey

[SeekAndFind]

When Barack Obama pulled the last American troops from Iraq in 2011 after shrugging off advice to keep a significant force on hand, he took credit for ending the war. Obama continued to brag about keeping his promise to get all combat troops out of the country, and during one of the 2012 presidential debate affected offense when Mitt Romney suggested that Obama had wanted to keep troops in the country. By this summer, Obama claimed that he had been powerless to keep troops in Iraq, and that the Iraqis didn’t want US combat forces on the ground in the country anyway. Even that was disingenuous; both Robert Gates and Leon Panetta believe that the Iraqis were open to a significant residual force, but Obama couldn’t be bothered to engage on the negotiations.

And even if that was true, it’s not now. The Anbar leaders who are still partnering with the central government in Iraq warn that the entire province will fall unless the US gets boots on the ground — and quickly:

[cripplecreek]

Operation Footdragger.

Obama wants this to get as bad as possible so the next president will have no choice but to launch a major war for the left to protest against.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

We need to dig Saddam up and give him back his job. It’s the only system those clowns can function under.

[marron]

Remember when we pulled out the troops, and said basically, if you need us we’ll be right next door...?

[FatherofFive]

We need to dig Saddam up and give him back his job.

Amazing, but the workd was safer with Sadam, Quadaffy, Moubarack and Assad in power. 0bummer is messing up the Middle East more than Carter did when Carter got rid of the Shah.

[yldstrk]

Let Saudia Arabia take care of it

[DoughtyOne]

Strangely enough, I hardly hear any talk of the Iraqis we supposedly trained to defend the nation.

This is when you stand up folks.  Where are you?

I think we're going to have to wind up putting boots on the ground at some point, so even if these folks don't stand up, it's to our advantage to address this before we're dealing with a massive Islamic nation.


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[Popman]

——This is when you stand up folks.  Where are you?——

The major problem with the Iraqis we trained is “country” takes a second seat to “tribe” ...that is where their loyalties lie....

Only a strongarm leader can gel these tribes into a fighting force....

[DoughtyOne]

I think you’re close to the mark there.

It’s sad but true.

[Lorianne]

No boots on the ground.
Enough already.

They’ve had plenty of time to get their sh!t together and prepare for this and the did basically nothing but let the USA do everything for them.

I do not see ANY evidence that these ‘leaders’ are worth it and wouldn’t turn on us in a second after they’ve used our soldiers to save their @sses.

Enough, enough, enough.

[marron]

I wonder if the Saudis could be sure their own troops wouldn’t join the rebels.