Obama fails to meet deadline for withdrawing combat troops from Iraq

[RightinNYC]

At first, he said that all combat troops would be out within 16 months:

Barack Obama struggled Thursday to explain his plan to end the war in Iraq, calling a rare do-over news conference to insist that he was not softening his campaign pledge to withdraw all combat troops within 16 months of becoming president.

"That position has not changed. I have not equivocated on that position. I have not searched for maneuvering room with respect to that position," he said.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/04/nation/na-campaign4

After he got elected, he changed that position, saying that all combat troops would be out within 19 months:

Before 2,000 Marines here on Friday, President Obama announced that the United States combat presence in Iraq will end in August 2010 after about 90,000 troops are withdrawn.

"Let me say this as plainly as I can: By August 31st, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end," Obama said to applause from the Marines.

The president said he plans to leave a force of 35,000 to 50,000 to advise Iraqi security forces, conduct counter-terrorism missions and protect U.S. personnel.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-02-26-marine_N.htm

As late as April 2010, the Obama administration still claimed that it would withdraw all non-combat troops by the new date of Aug. 31:

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. military official in Iraq, does not believe the violence threatens the ability of the U.S. military to draw down its forces this year.

U.S. commanders plan to end combat operations on Aug. 31 and withdraw all forces by the end of 2011.

White House: Iraq troop withdrawal plan unchanged - Boston.com

Today, 16 months after Obama took office, there are still 92,000 US troops in Iraq.

washingtonpost.com

Given that this was one of the big issues separating Obama from Hillary and McCain, I'd be interested to learn whether any of the people who voted for him in 2008 would have done differently (in the primary or in the general) had they known that he would not meet his deadline.

 

[country]

obama said many things to get elected. Much of what he campaigned on was not possible and he knew it. Many of his voters though could care less . It was "cool" to vote for the first black president. Do they care that he hasn't kept his promise?? I doubt if they could tear themselves away from "american idol and dancing with the stars" long enough to hear what he said. Some may not be aware of a war going on.

 

[soccerboy22]

I am honestly disappointed with the President that he still keeps pushing the date back. All I want him to say is you know what we can't leave as early as I wanted because of the situations on the ground, but as soon as we can I will order them to come home. Or something to that regard. This playing around with this particular campaign promise is getting old and it is getting old fast.

 

[Hoplite]

I am honestly disappointed with the President that he still keeps pushing the date back. All I want him to say is you know what we can't leave as early as I wanted because of the situations on the ground, but as soon as we can I will order them to come home. Or something to that regard. This playing around with this particular campaign promise is getting old and it is getting old fast.

I have to agree.

Part of why I voted for him was the war issue. Realistically I knew it probably wouldnt happen in that timeframe and I am glad to see there has been a drop in troop numbers, but I would like to see it happen in totality.