Michael Yon has been one of the few true blue Iraq war correspondents.  Untainted by politics, he has an on the ground assessment. [More]

No one is more pro-troop than me, and I would never, ever wish America to accept any form of defeat or humiliation, but if this is what the El Hefe of Iraq is saying then give it to them.

Iraq’s prime minister has for the first time publicly called for a US troop withdrawal timetable.

Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday that a military agreement the two countries are negotiating should include provisions for the withdrawal of American troops.

In a meeting with Arab ambassadors in the United Arab Emirates on Monday, al-Maliki said Iraq had proposed a short-term interim memorandum of agreement rather than the more formal status of forces agreement the two sides have been negotiating.

"Negotiations are ongoing with the US side and the current attitude is to reach a memorandum of understanding either for immediate US forces withdrawal or timetable withdrawal," he said on Monday.

The memorandum "now on the table" includes a formula for the withdrawal of US troops, he said.

"The goal is to end the presence [of foreign troops]," al-Maliki said.

The prime minister offered few details, but his national security adviser, Mouwaffak al-Rubaie, told The Associated Press that the government was proposing a timetable contingent on Iraqi forces being able to provide security.

Let him know a date in secret and be done with the whole thing.  Africa could use some cleaning up if we’re ever to expect the tons of money we send there to ever do any good.  Or better yet, send all of the troops in Iraq to Afghanistan.

After reading this, we should all be re-evaluating our stance on Iraq.  With words like this it will be hard to explain any legitimate reasoning for staying much longer.

We definitely should be seeing some sweet oil deals come our way for the favor of liberating them though.

Photo and caption from the Atlantic

An Iraqi policewoman fires a handgun during target practice at a firing range in Karbala, 120 kms south of Baghdad, on June 25, 2008. Six hundred twenty-five women recently graduated from their training programme as policewomen with the Iraqi National Police force and are expected to perform in the same capacities as their male comrades. By Mohammed Sawaf/AFP/Getty.

Well good for them.  I wonder if they’ll have to wear the burka while on duty?  If so, where will they put their cop equipment?  Look away MSM, nothing to see here.

This would be funny if it weren’t..not funny.  Watch the two jihadis at the right of the screen standing by the side of the road.  Luckily for the troops speeding by it was an epic fail, although, I’m sure there were multiple sharts by the vehicles occupants.

Oh well, I guess the jihadi running away screaming allahu akhbar can make up a story of victory against the infidels to tell his 12 year old boyfriend.

H/T: The Jawa Report

All but one of the original eight Marines have been acquitted and had their lives returned to them.  As Michelle Malkin notes, not a peep from the MSM.  I’m not surprised, are you?

Just a reminder of the stupid things that drooled out of John Murtha’s liberal infected mouth November 2005.  And the prick still has his job, pulling a paycheck paid for by you and me.

It’s much worse than reported in Time magazine. There was no fire fight. There was no IED that killed these innocent people. Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood. And that’s what the report is going to tell.

Now, you can imagine the impact this is going to have on those troops for the rest of their lives and for the United States in our war and our effort in trying to win the hearts and minds.

Thanks again to Michelle Malkin for keeping up with it all, that’s why she gets the big bucks and why I only get a case of Schlitz and let out of the basement once a week.

Yesterday: Haditha Watch: The fate of Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani

June 5: Haditha Marine Lt. Andrew Grayson acquitted

March 28: Case dropped against Haditha defendant Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum

Charges dropped against Capt. Lucas McConnell

Charges recommended dropped against Lance Cpl. Stephen B. Tatum

Charges dropped against Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt

Charges dropped against Sergeant Sanick Dela Cruz

Let Freedom Ring reviews the Murtha Marine-smearing timeline.

Everything else you need to know is at Defend Our Marines.

Flashback: September 2007…Jason Mattera corners cut-and-run Murtha on his Haditha smears…

Please give John (Traitor) Murtha a call and ask him why he has not apologized for his stupid accusations flung so carelessly at these fine Marines - 202-225-2065.

Just a quick note here but I think I’m missing something.  This Sadr punk is in Iran, his goon’s are fighting to control an oil port in Iraq, his goons are firing upon legitimate Iraqi forces and our guys… 

Several residents in Basra confirmed that the militia continues to cling on to most of its strongholds in Basra despite the US and British-backed government offensive involving nearly 28,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen.

It appears the government may have underestimated the nature of Sadr’s response and, for that matter, the extent of Iran’s support to the cleric, analysts say.

While Sadr’s Sunday statement called for a halt in attacks on government forces and property "for the sake of extinguishing the flames of discord," it made no mention of the Mahdi Army or a cease-fire, nor did it address Maliki’s ultimatum for fighters to drop their weapons by April 8 in return for cash and amnesty.  More here

Anyone see the overall problem here?  And no lib’s, we can’t leave, if we did, there would be genocide first followed by an Iranian take over of the country and it’s resources…  not a good idea dumb dumb’s…

H/T Flopping Aces & Hot Air

A growing number of foreign fighters are leaving or attempting to flee Iraq as U.S. and Iraqi forces have weakened al-Qaeda and forced its members from former strongholds, U.S. military officials say.

The trend reflects a broad disenchantment among foreign fighters, particularly since al-Qaeda has lost sanctuaries in parts of Baghdad and Anbar, a Sunni province west of the capital, U.S. military intelligence officials say. …

The departure of some fighters doesn’t mean al-Qaeda is quitting the fight, said Brig. Gen. Brian Keller, the chief intelligence officer for the U.S. command in Iraq. “We’re just starting to see more and more fissures in the morale and leadership of al-Qaeda in Iraq,” he said.

America will never be defeated.  The democrat/liberal/socialist party will never kill the true spirit of America.  TRM

I subscribe to email updates from the Moveon dot org freaks just to keep an eye on the lunacy.  Today I received a tidbit that I’d like to share.

They are encouraging action from it’s subscribers to withdraw troops from Iraq, same old same old, but they have now linked "the recession" with the Iraq war.  Let me say that again, our hopeless fall into recession is the direct result of our activities in Iraq.

From the email:

As of today, we’ve spent over $495 billion in Iraq.1 With the economy in the tank, think about what that money could do here at home: Cover millions of kids who don’t have insurance, or help folks who’re losing their jobs and homes.
Instead, it’s supporting a failed occupation in Iraq.

[More]

In my humble opinion, THE most important action that the Iraqi government can address is the need to get the countries vast oil reserves tapped and flowing.  According to the report by Ahmed Rasheed (Reuters),

U.S. officials say the main reason foreign oil majors have avoided Iraq is the lack of the law, not security concerns.

I think you would all agree that the sooner Iraq’s oil resources are tapped and the money starts flowing, Iraq will be better suited to stand on it’s own and American troops can scale back.

Related News:

Iraq inches toward luring big oil investment

Over 70 firms bid for Iraq oil contracts: ministry

FACTBOX: Over 70 firms register for Iraq oil contracts

by TRM

An estimated 5.4 million Congolese died between ‘98 and 2007 because of conflict, most from the rampant disease and food shortages stemming from fighting.  For the most part the rest of Africa is a big steaming pile as well, so who’s there to make sure this doesn’t happen?

It’s the United Nations, folks, in little blue hats, the "peacekeepers." The UN! They’re not doing a damn thing except taking money from the U.S and others to do nothing.  Maybe they are doing their job.  Who knows what their intentions are?

Whatever they are or aren’t doing, isn’t it amazing you don’t read about this stuff in Iraq — and who’s taking care of things in Iraq? It’s the United States of America, particularly the United States military.  G=D forbid that traitorous wench Pelosi admit it though.

Tens of thousand’s of people a month are dying in Congo and the rest of Africa, and the UN is there to ensure that it doesn’t happen.  Nice job assholes!

Ever wonder why no one gives a spit about ‘em?  I think I can spell it out for you, OH EYE EL….. they don’t have any do they?  And just in time for the election, dimocrats(S) are scrambling to sign letters, donate money and express outrage at the conditions.  Good job guys, give the UN more money to crap away.

I stand behind President Bush on most matters but today I read something that even I can’t defend him on.  He wants to invest hundreds of millions securing Mexico’s southern border.  C’mon George, I’m all for capitalism in the form of "selling" equipment and contracting manpower, but why aren’t the Mexicans paying for it or at the very least providing us some of that cheap crude?  Why would you put us (your loyal supporters) in the situation where we have to agree with a dimocrat(S) from Arizona?

by TRM

The Agence France-Presse(AFP) has reported that Russia is forgiving a huge debt owed by Iraq, in stages, with the hopes of future investment in the regions huge oil and natural gas reserves.  Good news huh?  Not so fast.

The very first thought I had upon reading this was, OK, America has spent tons of money liberating them from the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein and now other countries are moving in to reap the benefits?  Why aren’t we?

Its obvious to me that were the region and government more stable, investment would be pouring in.  But it’s not stable and, so far as I can tell, we are not reaping any of that vast reserve evidenced by the price of gas here in the U.S.  What sort of “dibs” do we have for all of the hard work and sacrifice we have invested?  What are we doing to protect our investment?  Is this cause for concern?  What do you think?