The Iraq War has been officially extended with the issue of this Notice to Congress (warning: pdf file):
I have sent the enclosed notice to the Federal Register for publication, continuing the national emergency with respect to the stabilization of Iraq. This notice states that the national emergency with respect to the stabilization of Iraq declared in Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003, as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13315 of August 28, 2003, Executive Order 13350 of July 29, 2004, Executive Order 13364 of November 29, 2004, and Executive Order 13438 of July 17, 2007, is to continue in effect beyond May 22, 2010.
Obstacles to the orderly reconstruction of Iraq, the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in the country, and the development of political, administrative, and economic institutions in Iraq continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Accordingly, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to this threat and maintain in force the measures taken to deal with that national emergency.
h/t emptywheel @ FDL
The Guardian has a similar report that because of the continued violence further troop withdrawals will be delayed. They lay some of the blame on Odierno for not issuing the orders, however, Obama IS the Commander in Chief
The White House is likely to delay the withdrawal of the first large phase of combat troops from Iraq for at least a month after escalating bloodshed and political instability in the country.
General Ray Odierno, the US commander, had been due to give the order within 60 days of the general election held in Iraq on 7 March, when the cross-sectarian candidate Ayad Allawi edged out the incumbent leader, Nouri al-Maliki.
American officials had been prepared for delays in negotiations to form a government, but now appear to have balked after Maliki’s coalition aligned itself with the theocratic Shia bloc to the exclusion of Allawi, who attracted the bulk of the minority Sunni vote. There is also concern over interference from Iraq’s neighbours, Iran, Turkey and Syria.
A month, then a year, does any one remember deadlines? Or promises?
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And there is a rumor that he’s going to think about considering maybe someday flying a trial balloon for thoughts about whether thinking about testing the waters to consider whether considering the possibility of possibly closing the prison at Guantanamo would be something that possibly might be considered. Maybe. All options are on the table buried under other options.
Possibly. If there develops the bipartisan will to consider in committee whether or not to think about it. These things take time. Incremental pragmatism is key. You expected miracles overnight?
who knew … all those GOS pie primary wars between the hillary folks and obama folks could’ve been avoided if we’d just had this crystal ball.
d-day expresses his opinion that this is nothing more than a formality to extend the legal status of US forces in the eyes of the US Congress until the agreed on withdrawl date in the SOFA.
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Obama Scraps Iraq Withdrawal
Amazing that Congress can tell the President he can’t close Guantanamo and move the remaining prisoners to an unused Federal facility on the mainland but they can’t tell him to Bring the Troops Home and end two wars
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who has been on top of the torture issue for as long as I can remember, who made this comment in David Swanson’s “wreck list” diary at agent orange:
(emphasis mine)