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| International-UN-NGOs |
| US trapped in Iraq: Annan |
| 2006-11-21 |
| US forces are trapped in Iraq, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said today, warning that Washington must find the right time to leave without plunging the country deeper into chaos. "On the question of the military presence it is a difficult issue. The US is in a way trapped in Iraq, trapped in the sense that it cannot stay and it cannot leave," Mr Annan said. "The timing of its departure will have to be optimal," he added. An eventual withdrawal of US forces should "not lead to a further deterioration," Mr Annan cautioned. The UN chief said Washington should instead "try and get it to a level that when it withdraws, the Iraqis themselves will be able to maintain a situation that would ensure a reasonable secure environment". The debate in the US over options in Iraq has intensified in recent weeks, with the military reportedly ready to temporarily increase US forces by up to 30,000 troops while expanding training for Iraqi forces. The Washington Post reported that three basic options have emerged in a strategy review in the Pentagon, led by a hybrid that would beef up US forces for a short period to dampen sectarian violence. A sizeable boost in US troops would run counter to the strong current of public anger over Iraq, which swept Democrats to power in Congressional elections earlier this month. Mr Annan said in Geneva that one key immediate step for Iraq was to revise its constitution to ensure fair power and revenue sharing between its feuding communities, especially to allay the fears of Sunni Muslims in the country. Iraqi lawmakers voted unanimously to set up a committee to amend the constitution in September. Iraq is riven by fighting between rival Sunni and Shiite Arab factions. The Kurdish minority's dream of independence has also been put on hold while Parliament debates plans for a federation of autonomous provinces. The draft law Iraqi lawmakers began debating in September would split Iraq largely on ethnic and sectarian lines, confirming Kurdish autonomy and creating an oil-rich Shiite homeland. Even if passed, the law could not come into effect for at least 18 months, while Sunni members have insisted on reviewing the year-old constitution. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #10 a LOT more fried twinkies |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-11-21 18:38 |
| #9 meh. Euro pot is weak! US has the best agricultural products in the world, hands down. Imagine what we would be seeing at the various State Fairs if it were legal! Lol! |
| Posted by: Mark E. 2006-11-21 18:16 |
| #8 not if you hit that 500g joint |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-11-21 17:38 |
| #7 "The US is in a way trapped in Iraq..." And I am, in a way, trapped on the Earth. |
| Posted by: Mark E. 2006-11-21 17:14 |
| #6 "Should I stay or should I go..." /Clash |
| Posted by: Chinter Flarong 2006-11-21 11:32 |
| #5 40 days... (sorry) |
| Posted by: Capsu 78 2006-11-21 11:05 |
| #4 $0 days till he no longer has to diplomatically pretend he hates America. |
| Posted by: Capsu 78 2006-11-21 11:04 |
| #3 Kofi countdown: 40 days. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-11-21 10:14 |
| #2 What a pity Annan isn't trapped in prison where he belongs. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2006-11-21 09:02 |
| #1 UN trapped in Darfur So Annan has the GDP and per capita in Darfur matched the increase Iraqis are enjoying? Oh, and when was that last 'free' election? |
| Posted by: Procopius2K 2006-11-21 09:01 |