Former CIA Director Michael Hayden says Mitt Romney was “spot on” when he said during Monday’s debate that the Obama administration wanted to keep a residual force in Iraq after the withdrawal of most American troops.
President Obama suggested in the debate that Romney was mistaken in seeking to keep 10,000 American troops in Iraq — which is what the administration initially sought to do.
After Hayden’s exclusive interview with Newsmax TV on Tuesday morning, he stated in a follow-up email: “The secretary of State, secretary of Defense and the vice president were trying to move heaven and earth to get Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki to agree to a deal on the status of U.S. forces (SOFA)” that would allow a continued U.S. military presence in Iraq.
“Clearly this was at the president's direction, even though his personal involvement, unlike his predecessor's, was minimal.
“When the negotiations for a SOFA failed, the president then characterized the total withdrawal as a ‘promise kept.’ That was puzzling. So too were his comments last night when the governor raised the point. His response just doesn't square with the historical record.”
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