[goldstategop]

My view is we'll have to stay for a long time - maybe longer than we've been in Germany. The alternative for our interests in the Middle East are just too ghastly to contemplate. When people talk about a withdrawal and leaving the Iraqis to their own devices, we risk torpedoing the achievements of the war. Iraq has a democratic, albeit imperfectly run national government. Its far better to stick with it than all the other options. The truth of the matter is we're better off being there than packing up and going back home.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[RobbyS]

Korea makes a better comparison. It took four or five years to bring the South Korean forces up to the point where they could hold the line. We were of course able to start drawing down after the Armistice. That was three years after the war started. But the lesson is that you don’t just pick up and leave and besides, we were close by in Japan.