http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15946832/

AMMAN, Jordan - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Thursday that his country's forces would be able to assume security command by June 2007 — which could allow the United States to start withdrawing its troops.

"I cannot answer on behalf of the U.S. administration but I can tell you that from our side our forces will be ready by June 2007," Maliki told ABC television after meeting President Bush on Thursday in Jordan.

Maliki was replying to a question about whether U.S. troops could start withdrawing at that time.

Bush pledged Thursday that U.S. troops will remain in Iraq to strengthen the authority of embattled prime minister and said the two agreed to speed a turnover of security responsibility to Iraqi forces.

“One of his frustrations with me is that he believes that we’ve been slow about giving him the tools necessary to protect the Iraqi people,” Bush said. “Today we had a meeting that will accelerate the capacity for the prime minister to do the hard work necessary to help stop this violence...”

Just to add a bit of spice, I feel I have to mention that 126 US soldiers were killed last month, the third highest number since the beginning of Emperor George II's Excellent Iraqi Adventure. Almost 2000 Iraqi Armed Forces/Police were killed in May, as well...I just can't seem to figure this out...

Does this make any sense at all? To anyone? Why do I continually believe that I MUST be going INSANE? That I COULDN'T have heard what I thought I heard, or saw what I had seen...Help me - anyone!!!

[ 01 June 2007: Message edited by: Atavist ]

excerpts:

7. August 30, 2005: Bush says U.S. troops would continue fighting in Iraq in order to protect the country's vast oil fields, which he said would otherwise fall under the control of terrorist extremists.

quote:

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Gunmen in Iraq have attacked the house of a senior police officer, killing his wife and 13 other people and taking away three of his children.

The attack took place late on Thursday on the house of Col Ali al-Jurani, the head of emergency police in the town of Kanaan, in Diyala province. [...]

"Several armed men attacked my house at 2200 (1800 GMT) and killed 14 people, including my wife, brother and my 12 bodyguards," Col Jurani told AFP news agency.

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