Iraq Wants A Withdrawal Timetable

It's been obvious for quite a while now that almost everyone would like for the United States to withdraw their troops from Iraq. Nearly 70% of the American people want it. An even larger percentage of the Iraqi people want it. And it goes without saying that the rest of the world would like to see it.

In fact, the only people who don't want U.S. troops to leave Iraq are members of the Bush administration and, of course, the puppet government Bush has installed in Iraq. Now, even that is changing.

The U.N. mandate that gives the United States some legal ground (although shaky) to be in Iraq will expire at the end of December. Bush doesn't want to have to go back to the United Nations, especially now that they know the Bush administration lied to them to get the original mandate. It's very unlikely Bush could get another one.

So instead, Bush has been trying to negotiate an agreement with the puppet government that would allow U.S. troops to stay in Iraq. Until now, the sticking point in the agreement has been Bush's demand that "contractors" in Iraq (such as Blackwater) receive full immunity for their actions. Last week, in an effort to get the agreement, Bush dropped the immunity demand.

But now the government of Nouri al-Maliki (pictured above) has come up with a demand of their own. They are asking for the United States government to set a timetable for withdrawal of all troops. It looks like al-Maliki is starting to think his government could survive without Bush's support (I think he's wrong).

This is a slap in the face for Bush (and McCain). Both had hopes of leaving permanent military bases in Iraq so they could control access to Iraqi oil. Now even the government they installed and have been protecting want the troops out.

Doesn't look like Sidney McCain will get those "100-year" military bases now. This can't be good for his presidential campaign either.