Well, looks like the lying, two-faced Bush Administration has done it again. Against myriad of very recent statements to the contrary, chronicled
here, the Bush team has decided to stay in Iraq, permanently. Of course, they cannot come out and say it unequivocally, but just reading the General's statement makes it clear...
Below:
From
Reuters:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States may want to keep a long-term military presence in Iraq to bolster moderates against extremists in the region and protect the flow of oil, the Army general overseeing U.S. military operations in Iraq said on Tuesday.
While the Bush administration has downplayed prospects for permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, Gen. John Abizaid told a House of Representatives subcommittee he could not rule that out.
Abizaid said that policy would be worked out with a unified, national Iraqi government if and when that is established, "and it would be premature for me to predict."
Alas, the truth starts to escape. Abizaid thus continues with the "terrorists" mantra, but those damn truths keep sneaking out:
Abizaid cited the need to fight al Qaeda and other extremists groups and "the need to be able to deter ambitions of an expansionistic Iran" as potential reasons to keep some level of troops in the region in the long term.
But he said it would be far less than the 200,000 currently deployed in the region, including 132,000 in Iraq.
"Clearly our long-term vision for a military presence in the region requires a robust counter-terrorist capability," Abizaid said. "No doubt there is a need for some presence in the region over time primarily to help people help themselves through this period of extremists versus moderates."
Abizaid also said the United States and its allies have a vital interest in the oil-rich region.
Can you say jumping off point for Syria and Iran? Here's a question--did any sane Congressman really think we'd invade a country and NOT leave bases there? Jane Harman, are you paying attention?