Hillary: “As President, I will keep the troops in Iraq”

Interviewed in her office, Clinton said that leaving Iraq would be “directly in opposition to our interests, and to Israel’s interests.” She said U.S. security would be undermined if parts of Iraq turned into a failed state.

“It’s in the heart of the oil region,” she said.

She declined to estimate the number of American troops she would keep permanently in Iraq, saying she would consult with military men about this.

Clinton said she would vote in favor of a Democratic resolution now being debated on the floor of the Senate, which sets a goal of withdrawing combat forces by March 31, 2008.

How does this square with her vow to keep troops in Iraq permanently? Clinton said that when she becomes President, the troops will be used in “targeted counter-terrorism operations.” Hence they will continue to wage combat against “insurgents,” as they do now, but they will not be called “combat forces.”

Clinton criticized Bush’s troop reinforcements, but said in the interview, “I’m going to root for it if it has any chance of success.”

She said the troops would be better used to protect the U.S. embassy, plus U.S. and Israeli assets in the region, such as oil.

She added that troops might be based north of Baghdad and in western Anbar Province, and in Kirkuk. (In other words, to protect the oil pipeline from Mosul, Iraq to Haifa, Israel.--AZ)

“We will not be doing patrols,” she said. “We will not be kicking in doors, or inserting ourselves between the various Shiite and Sunni factions. I don't think that’s a smart or achievable mission for American forces.”

(We will simply be guarding Israel’s oil assets in Iraq.--AZ)

Source:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/washington/15clinton.html?_r=1&oref=sl...