Iraq Wants US to Leave

This is a big story. Will the news media play it as such? Not only do Iraq's leaders want us out, they now say it's not terrorism if you attack Americans.

From the Associated Press:

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Leaders of Iraq's sharply divided Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis called Monday for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in the country and said Iraq's opposition had a ``legitimate right'' of resistance.

The final communique, hammered out at the end of three days of negotiations at a preparatory reconciliation conference under the auspices of the Arab League, condemned terrorism, but was a clear acknowledgment of the Sunni position that insurgents should not be labeled as terrorists if their operations do not target innocent civilians or institutions designed to provide for the welfare of Iraqi citizens.

The participants in Cairo agreed on ``calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops according to a timetable, through putting in place an immediate national program to rebuild the armed forces ... control the borders and the security situation'' and end terror attacks.

The conference was attended by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Shiite and Kurdish lawmakers, as well as leading Sunni politicians.

The Bush administration has said repeatedly that if the elected Iraqi government wanted us out, we'd leave. They now want us out. So when do our troops come home?

So will Dick Cheney call the Iraqi government reprehensible for wanting us to withdraw? Does he think that to begin withdrawing from Iraq now "would be a victory for the terrorists"? Does Jean Schmidt think they're cowards for cutting and running?

Iraq's leaders also now say it's not terrorism if you attack Americans. It's only terrorism if you attack Iraqi citizens or Iraqi "institutions."

The final communique, hammered out at the end of three days of negotiations at a preparatory reconciliation conference under the auspices of the Arab League, condemned terrorism, but was a clear acknowledgment of the Sunni position that insurgents should not be labeled as terrorists if their operations do not target innocent civilians or institutions designed to provide for the welfare of Iraqi citizens.

Why are we still in Iraq?