Comments on: The Sky Will Open Up

By: lokywoky

lokywoky — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:57:48 +0000

Consortium News reporting this morning that Obama is insisting on having input into the SOFA or at least some language that would allow him to re-negotiate the terms once he takes office.

He is also insisting that the Senate should be able to vote on the document - just like the Iraqi Parliament.

That’s our new President - already hard at work and doing the right thing!

By: rich2506

rich2506 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:39:27 +0000

Love the picture of the boots on the FDL main page! Hey, if y’all ever want to use them, we’ve got pictures of the numerous times we’ve set up our “Sea of Tombstones” display opposite Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell. Natcherly, as with everything else that all of us liberals post, any and all images on the site are free for anyone to use. We’d like get credited, but we won’t be fussy about that.

By: Phoenix Woman

Phoenix Woman — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:00:11 +0000

Intel Experts: Obama’s very presence as a major-party candidate helped us out immensely and made America safer.

By: Hugh

Hugh — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:52:29 +0000

The legal framework for the US conducting operations in Iraq is a UN resolution that expires at the end of the year. This is the reason that there was a push to finalize the SOFA, first to have a replacement for the UN resolution and second to tie Obama’s hands. Obama has said he will withdraw within 16 months (this is the brigade a month scenario). The SOFA would add at least another 6 months to that and Bush was trying to insert wiggle room for longer deployment. Even under the Obama plan there are vague references that could keep 30,000 to 50,000 troops in Iraq for training, anti-terrorism, and embassy security missions. I think that once a withdrawal starts it will be very hard to keep these kinds of numbers in country. There is also the point that such numbers would represent keeping 5-8 brigades in Iraq and this would shorten the timeline of the withdrawal.

I expect we will have to wait until early next year to have a better and more detailed idea of what Obama’s withdrawal plans for Iraq look like. At the least, his advisers should be discussing in general terms (i.e. not making policy before the inauguration) that Obama will not look on the SOFA has carved in stone.

By: Twain

Twain — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:41:50 +0000

They are great parents and you just knew it. Whatever Obama does as prez that we disagree with, there’s no doubt about that one fact. It’s probably the most important fact of all.

By: marshen

marshen — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:37:59 +0000

You know what is weird? I was daydreaming about Obama’s daughters last night before I fell asleep and wondered to myself what it would be like for him to go to parent-teacher day at their school as President. Then, the first thing I saw when I turned on the TV was this story of them actually doing just that. It kind of freaked me out!

By: Twain

Twain — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:31:11 +0000

Did everyone see that the Obamas are attending a teacher’s conference today at the children’s school?
They really have their priorities straight – good for them.

By: marshen

marshen — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:25:48 +0000

Laura Bush is going around the White House and covering up all George’s shit piles he has left everywhere for Obama to clean up. I hope there is plenty of white White House linens to cover them up before Michelle and Barack come to visit on Monday.

By: Spencer Ackerman

Spencer Ackerman — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:24:30 +0000

But if it’s the O-Team that’s delivering the results, how compelling do you think that’ll be for the average voter?

By: marshen

marshen — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:20:54 +0000

The Republicans will still find a way to say, “He did’nt win the win war like McCain and Palin said we should.” And when they find Osama bin Laden during the Obama administration, they will say it is because of the foundation laid down by Bush that made it all possible. Don’t ever assume for one minute any Republicans will come to their senses and give credit to a democrat for getting something done, change is their new word for hate.