Some would have us pretend that Iraqi Muslims—unique among the Muslims of the world—deep down love freedom just the same way Americans do, and would build a sturdy free republic... if only the US would keep an army there another 100 years!
I believe they are different than Saudi/Kuwaiti types (Iraqi women don’t have to wear bags on their heads to go outside), but as far as their love for us - forget it. It was literally distrust of our Iraqi allies that forced the midnight retreat. The pictures from the embassy in Saigon n 1975 had become such symbols of failure we bugged out in Iraq when no such pictures could be taken.