Why Did Obama Want A SOFA With Iraq

[esmith]

During the 3rd debate President Obama said that he wouldn't leave troops in Iraq. If so, why did he send Vice President Biden and Secretary Clinton to Iraq to renew the Status Of Force Agreement that had expired in 2011. Oh, they failed to get the SOFA extended.
SOFA With Iraq

 

[Drolefille]

Gee, GOP.com is a totally neutral and unbiased source.

I can't imagine that they would have an agenda.

 

[esmith]

Gee, GOP.com is a totally neutral and unbiased source.

I can't imagine that they would have an agenda.

Gee, Read the full article and maybe you will learn something. Factcheck.org verifies the story. Maybe Obama hasn't been telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth all along.

 

[Drolefille]

Then link to Factcheck rather than a biased source. Factcheck is reasonably neutral.
Here's what they say:
"Obama wrongly accused Romney of not telling the truth when Romney said “you and I agreed” some U.S. troops should be left in Iraq. In fact, the president tried and failed to negotiate an agreement to keep 3,000 to 4,000 support troops there; Romney said he would have left 10,000 to 30,000."

And the quotes:

Romney: [W]ith regards to Iraq, you and I agreed, I believe, that there should have been a status of forces agreement. Did you…
Obama: That’s not true. … [W]hat I would not have done is left 10,000 troops in Iraq that would tie us down. That certainly would not help us in the Middle East.
​

It can be argued that the disagreement was about numbers rather than ANY troops. Funny how it's less black and white when you get context.

 

[fallingblood]

Gee, Read the full article and maybe you will learn something. Factcheck.org verifies the story. Maybe Obama hasn't been telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth all along.

And Romney is any better?

 

[Old Scratch]

Good this is! Puny & pitiful humans about niggling numbers & petty
peripheral factoids argue, while the larger issues they ignore. Your
doom awaits!

 

[esmith]

Then link to Factcheck rather than a biased source. Factcheck is reasonably neutral.
Here's what they say:
"Obama wrongly accused Romney of not telling the truth when Romney said “you and I agreed” some U.S. troops should be left in Iraq. In fact, the president tried and failed to negotiate an agreement to keep 3,000 to 4,000 support troops there; Romney said he would have left 10,000 to 30,000."

And the quotes:

Quote:
Romney: [W]ith regards to Iraq, you and I agreed, I believe, that there should have been a status of forces agreement. Did you…
Obama: That’s not true. … [W]hat I would not have done is left 10,000 troops in Iraq that would tie us down. That certainly would not help us in the Middle East.

It can be argued that the disagreement was about numbers rather than ANY troops. Funny how it's less black and white when you get context.

From the Article that I linked to:


THE FACTS: “Actually, The Obama Administration Tried For Many Months To Win Iraqi Agreement To Keeping Several Thousand American Troops There Beyond 2011 To Continue Training And Advising The Iraqi Armed Forces.” “Obama was suggesting that he had never favored keeping U.S. troops in Iraq beyond the December 2011 withdrawal deadline that the Bush administration had negotiated with the Iraqi government. Actually, the Obama administration tried for many months to win Iraqi agreement to keeping several thousand American troops there beyond 2011 to continue training and advising the Iraqi armed forces. The talks broke down over a disagreement on legal immunity for U.S. troops.” (Calvin Woodward, “FACT CHECK: Missteps In Final Presidential Debate,” The Associated Press, 10/22/12)