Iraq President Saleh Submits Resignation to Parliament, Jazeera Reports

[Disir]

Iraqi President Barham Saleh offered to resign as weeks of deadly anti-government protests show no sign of abating.

Protesters rejected one nominee, and Saleh rejected the candidacy of a second, Assad Al-Edani of the Al-Binaa political bloc.
Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

The new year promises to look a lot like the last one.........and the year before that.

 

[Bo Didleysquat]

Iraqi President Barham Saleh offered to resign as weeks of deadly anti-government protests show no sign of abating.

Protesters rejected one nominee, and Saleh rejected the candidacy of a second, Assad Al-Edani of the Al-Binaa political bloc.
Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

The new year promises to look a lot like the last one.........and the year before that.

W really straightened that place out.

 

[RoccoR]

RE: Iraq President Saleh Submits Resignation to Parliament, Jazeera Reports
⁜→ Bo Didleysquat, et al,http://www.usmessageboard.com/members/bo-didleysquat.72600/

Iraqi President Barham Saleh offered to resign as weeks of deadly anti-government protests show no sign of abating.

Protesters rejected one nominee, and Saleh rejected the candidacy of a second, Assad Al-Edani of the Al-Binaa political bloc.
Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

The new year promises to look a lot like the last one.........and the year before that.

W really straightened that place out.

(COMMENT)
{QUOTE}

Executive Summary
OUR NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR VICTORY IN IRAQ:
Helping the Iraqi People Defeat the Terrorists and Build an Inclusive Democratic State
​

✪ Victory in Iraq is Defined in Stages

• Short term, Iraq is making steady progress in fighting terrorists, meeting political milestones,
building democratic institutions, and standing up security forces.
• Medium term, Iraq is in the lead defeating terrorists and providing its own security, with a fully
constitutional government in place, and on its way to achieving its economic potential.
• Longer term, Iraq is peaceful, united, stable, and secure, well integrated into the international
community, and a full partner in the global war on terrorism.​

✪ Victory in Iraq is a Vital U.S. Interest

• Iraq is the central front in the global war on terror. Failure in Iraq will embolden terrorists and
expand their reach; success in Iraq will deal them a decisive and crippling blow.
• The fate of the greater Middle East – which will have a profound and lasting impact on American
security – hangs in the balance.​

✪ Failure is Not an Option

• Iraq would become a safe haven from which terrorists could plan attacks against America, American
interests abroad, and our allies.
• Middle East reformers would never again fully trust American assurances of support for democracy
and human rights in the region – a historic opportunity lost.
• The resultant tribal and sectarian chaos would have major consequences for American security and
interests in the region.​

{UNQUOTE}
I had the opportunity to be an outside observer but in close proximity to most of the former MNF-I Commanders (Generals Casey, Jr. • Lloyd J. Austin III • David Petraeus • Raymond T. Odierno • and the USF-I Commander LTG Caslen) and their staff. I also had the opportunity to interface with many of the staff assigned to the US Chief of Mission (John Negroponte – Zalmay Khalilzad – Amb Ryan Crocker & DCM Patricia Butenis as Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. – Christopher Hill and his DCM James Jeffrey) while I was there. Let me first say that I'm just a layman and unschooled in the ways of military strategy and diplomacy. As for the string of miliary commenders, none were able to secure the environment that would permit the broader strategy for a "Victory in Iraq." Similarly, no matter what their credentials, the various Chiefs of Mission were not able to support the broader strategy; being completely out of their depth.

Neither the military leaders or the various chiefs of the mission were so creative in how they addressed to situations they faced as to recognize the achievements two, three, five, eight, or even twelve years later. Certainly, Iraq is not today, the partner we expected to see now 16 years after the control and sovereignty of Iraq were handed over to the interim Iraqi government.

The objective question one needs to ask: Is Iraq is peaceful, united, stable, and secure, well integrated into the international community, and a full partner in the global war on terrorism.

Key Points

◈ Iran’s top commander General Qasem Soleimani has been killed in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, the Pentagon confirmed on Thursday night following reports of his death on Iranian state television and Iraqi media.

◈ His death exacerbated already-high tensions between Iran and the United States and triggered concerns of retaliation from Iranian forces.

◈ The U.S. strike followed attacks by Iran-backed militias on the American Embassy in Baghdad.

◈ Oil prices surged amid the escalating tensions.​

Think about it for a minute.

Clearly, our schools on diplomacy and our training of military leaders need to be revamped. The inept cannot continue to be allowed to nominate the promotions of subordinates when these very leaders were never able to meet the challenge. All you get is more of the same → leaders and diplomats that can not meet the challenges into the future.


Most Respectfully,
R
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