[dark_lord]

Which is why all the talk of us "leaving Iraq soon" is foolishness. We didn't leave Germany after a few months -- because if we did the Nazis would have resurfaced. We didn't leave Japan after a few months -- because if we did the "militarists" would have resurfaced. In Iraq -- if we leave the Islamofacists will rise and we will have another Iran on our hands, but not like Iran now, rather like Iran was in the early '80s. It would be pointless to depose Saddam, and have as his replacement another Islamofacist state that hates us.

Besides - we need physical bases there. That way we can pull our people out of Saudi Arabia, put them into those bases we have captured in the deserts of western Iraq. Then we can deal with the Saudis.

[stuartcr]

I agree, we'll never get out of the middle-east, no matter what Washington says..we also need a base for operations over there..regardless of what Washington says. World opinion-wise, though, it will be harder and harder to stay there. I think we're in for a very tumultuous future.