Many Iraqis fear ‘hasty’ withdrawal
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2009 7:37 AM
Filed Under:
Baghdad, Iraq
By NBC News’ Karim Hilmi
BAGHDAD – With President Barack Obama's announcement on Friday that the U.S. will withdraw its combat forces from Iraq by late summer of 2010, some Iraqis say they fear that such a move could lead to a resurgence of violence.
"Terrorists are just waiting for the Americans to leave the country in order to turn things upside down," said Ibrahim Salman, 55, a Baghdad municipality official.
Salman, who lost relatives and friends during the sectarian violence that raged across Iraq during 2005 and 2006, said armed groups could take advantage of the American military pullout to terrorize the country once again.
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| Erik De Castro / Reuters |
| U.S. soldiers take up position to secure the opening of a water treatment plant in Baghdad's Sadr City on Jan. 21, 2009. |
"I am against a hasty evacuation of U.S. troops from Iraq because security is not completely achieved throughout Iraq," Salman said. "The Iraqi police force and army still need more training, experience, intelligence gathering and sophisticated military equipment."
Obama explained during his speech at the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune, N.C. on Friday that while U.S. combat forces will be withdrawn by August 31, 2010, a force numbering between 35,000 to 50,000 American troops will stay behind in non-combat roles, with the final troops not slated to leave until Dec. 31, 2011.
"As we carry out this drawdown, my highest priority will be the safety and security of our troops and civilians in Iraq," he said.
Obama said the U.S. forces that remain after the combat mission is closed out will have a threefold mission: To train, equip and advise Iraq forces; to offer force protection for both U.S. military and civilian operations that will continue in the country; to engage in targeted counterterrorism missions either alone or in conjunction with Iraqi troops.
‘Responsible and gradual’
Diana Obaedi, a 24-year-old private secretary, said she supported the idea of a "responsible and gradual withdrawal" of American troops. But as someone whose family was displaced by armed groups, she also was concerned that Iraq must be "stable and secure" before the Americans leave.
A barber in his late forties, Sa'ad Yassin, echoed this sentiment.
"Of course, nobody likes his country to be occupied, but I want joint Iraqi and American forces to get rid of the terrorists, criminals, gangs and sleeper cells who are waiting to jump and control the land and people," Yassin said.
Adel Abdul-Jabbar, a technician in Baghdad, fears there will be a bloodbath after U.S. forces leave.
"Pulling their forces and leaving Iraq to be devoured by Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Turkey? Oh! No!" he said. "No, I am sure al-Qaida and militias will destroy Iraq and Iraqis will be swimming in blood pools."
‘History repeats itself’
Others expressed disbelief. Abu Ahmed, a retiree, laughed at the notion that the American forces will ever leave Iraq.
"They say ‘history repeats itself,’ I won't believe the American administration is going to pull its forces out of Iraq. They will stay for decades just like they did in Germany and Japan," he said.
Still, Amer Qabani, a 33-year-old oil-driller, was optimistic about his country’s future and thinks that Obama is a man of his word.
"He promised in his presidential campaign to responsibly withdraw his troops from Iraq," said Qabani. "I guess we will have to wait and see. I think Iraqi forces will be ready."
Editor's note: This blog was updated to reflect the details of the U.S. withdrawal plan that President Obama specified during his speech at the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune on Friday.
