General Odierno Says This-General Odierno Says That

LINK

This sounds like the same old bs and it is.

"Overall violence remains at 2003 lows, however ... there are still some elements that are able to conduct some very serious attacks," "As you ask me today, I believe it's a 10 that we will be gone by 2011."

Then he says this leaving the barn doors wide open just in case.

"We will continue to conduct assessments along with the government of Iraq as we move toward the June 30 deadline. If we believe that we'll need troops to maintain a presence in some of the cities, we'll recommend that. But ultimately it will be the decision of Prime Minister (Nuri al-) Maliki," Odierno said.

Interviewed on the same CNN program, Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie expressed confidence that Iraqi forces could take over security for the entire country within a year.

"In the next year or so, we will be in a position to take over all of our country -- all the security, all over the country," he said.

President Barack Obama, who made a surprise visit to Iraq last week, has declared a goal of withdrawing all U.S. combat forces from Iraq by the end of August 2010 and other forces by the end of 2011. But his strategy assumes Iraq
staying relatively stable during this period.

It is the same old tired out bullshit we've heard for so long. Numbers seem to change but nobody in any numbers has left yet and it's a long time to the end of 2010 and there will still be 50K left.

"Iraqi forces take over security for the whole country in a year" my ass.

The wingers and those in the war business couldn't be happier with this arrangement.

No change here when there continues to be 140,000 troops being used in our occupation of another country. I'm so sick of this and the bottom line is that until there is a significant reduction in troop levels in Iraq we continue to get squat.

I'll believe it when it happens and it's over with but until then it's just the same old swill to fill up the Sunday talk shows.