Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
It appears the US needs l'ttle ol' us	paraclete	04/17/07
to maintain its status as a "world power"? Now that is bizzaire Israel PM urges Australia Iraq stay April 17, 2007 - 12:03PM Australian and US troops have to leave Iraq some time, but should do so in a way which maintained the reputation of the US as a major world power, Israel's prime minister said today. Ehud Olmert said he did not want to revisit whether the US should have gone into Iraq in the first place. "You are there. Others are there. The question is how should America pull out and the other forces should pull out from Iraq," Mr Olmert told ABC radio from Jerusalem. "I think they should pull out in a manner, which will maintain the prestige and the perception of America as a major power. "Why? Because if the perception will be different then the possible consequences and ramifications will be very unpleasant for the moderate forces in our part of the world. And that is something we are worried about." Mr Olmert said he was not saying that US and Australia and other forces should never leave Iraq. "What I say is it is your decision to make. It is America's decision to make," he said. "What I just tell you as someone that lives in this part of the world for so many years and has known a little bit about the dynamics of this part of the world, is that having known what you have invested for so many years, how much it has cost you. "Just think of what will be the possible ramifications of a premature pullout on the standing of the forces which are essential for our interests and your interests and your security in this part of the world." AAP
Clarification/Follow-up by ETWolverine on 04/17/07 1:41 pm: Sorry about the multiple answers... computer glitch this morning. Clarification/Follow-up by ETWolverine on 04/17/07 3:27 pm: Got a link? Clarification/Follow-up by paraclete on 04/17/07 11:28 pm: try www.abc.com.au/foriegncorrespondent Clarification/Follow-up by paraclete on 04/17/07 11:28 pm: Sorry elliot the full link is http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2007/s1899720.htm
Answered By		Answered On
ETWolverine		04/17/07
Ehud Ohlmert is a complete f#@khead. He has the balls to talk about appearances and images of strength after the way he completly botched the war against Hizbollah last year and ruined Israel's military reputation in the international community? In Hebrew we call that "chutzpah". Second of all, Ohlmert should not be stating that Israel's well-being is so strongly linked to the USA's image of strength. Israel has always been and should remain capable of taking care of its own business with or without US aid or the image of US strength. To link Israel's well-being to US strength is to surrender Israel's military power in the Middle East and links Israel's security interests to the whims of a particular US administration. Bad move. Third, I don't see where Australia is linked to the USA in this statement in a way that says that if Australia pulls out precipitously it will effect the USA's status as a superpower. Ohlmert just simply lists two countries, the USA and Australia, as two powers that need to make decisions in Iraq about whther to stay or go. Elliot

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