The administration announced that we would begin a total pullout of all US forces from Iraq except for a few protecting US diplomats and the like. The administration had hoped to keep a few thousand as trainers and to provide for regional security. The deal breaker was over the issue of whether US troops would be subject to Iraqi law over alleged crimes, or whether they would be tried by the UCMJ. The Iraqis insisted on Iraqi law. The administration refused to concede. So we are leaving. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? On the one hand we established a democratically elected government and they have told us to leave. If we are serious about democracy and not being an occupying power we will go. Likewise, we are spared a whole lot of blood and treasure defending folks whose elected leaders want us gone. On the other hand, once we leave, who is to say that the Shia majority won't make Iraq a puppet state of Iran? Who is to say Al Queda won't return?
The question is this. Do we simply walk away gracefully and say FU, don't come crying to us when the idiots take charge, or do we become an occupying power without even the fig leaf of governmental approval? The main argument here being that 4,400 plus US troops died there, do we just walk away when we are asked to?
Me, I say we take this as a gift and say "So long and thanks for the fish". YMMV. I'd like to hear your thoughts.
FQ13