50/50 doesn't sound like good odds...but it's better than I figured going in. Keeping the radicals out of power is the big problem in a democracy. It only takes one super majority to abolish all of the protections, controls and future elections and establish something along the lines of the farce of a democracy that is in Iran. But at this point I think there is a decent chance of establishing enough stability and peace that we will be able to disengage. Those chances go up the greater difficulty in holding power in Syria and Iran. I know some Iranians and that nation is a powder keg waiting to blow up under the Ayatollahs there.
I agree.I've been very impressed with the enthusiasm and determination of the Iraqi people and also very surprised that the people have gone out and voted in spite of the potential for terrorist attacks.(Note:Could you imagine going to vote(here in the US)and knowing in the back of your mind someone could pull up and detonate a car bomb outside or some guy standing in line at the poll had a couple pounds of C4 strapped to his body?)The key is keeping the radicals,islamists,Syria,and Iran out of the picture.