Iraqi officials insist on withdrawal timetable

For years, Bush and his supporters said anyone talking about timetables was against the troops and supporting the "terrorists" but it looks as if they were all right and Bush, on the other hand, was wrong. If this means the troops can come home from Iraq, great. Let's hope the payouts for the militia hold on long enough to buy enough time for this to happen. It looks like it couldn't come at a better time considering what's happening in Afghanistan.

Iraqi officials insist on withdrawal timetable

By Sally Buzbee - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jul 8, 2008 10:55:25 EDT

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s national security adviser said Tuesday his country will not accept any security deal with the U.S. unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces.

The comments by Mouwaffak al-Rubaie were the strongest yet by an Iraqi official about the deal now under negotiation with U.S. officials. It came a day after Iraq’s prime minister first said publicly that he expects the pending troop deal with the U.S. to have some type of timetable for withdrawal.

President Bush has said he opposes a timetable.

Al-Rubaie spoke to reporters after briefing Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf on the progress of the government’s security efforts, and the talks.

“Our stance in the negotiations underway with the American side will be strong ... We will not accept any memorandum of understanding that doesn’t have specific dates to withdraw foreign forces from Iraq,” al-Rubaie said.
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