Iraqi DM has asked for the US help until 2018. Will this be part of the debate on leaving the country after the elections.


President Bush has never given a date for a military withdrawal from Iraq but has repeatedly said that American forces would stand down as Iraqi forces stand up. Given Mr. Qadir’s assessment of Iraq’s military capabilities on Monday, such a withdrawal appeared to be quite distant, and further away than any American officials have previously stated in public.

Mr. Qadir’s comments are likely to become a factor in political debate over the war. All of the Democratic presidential candidates have promised a swift American withdrawal, while the leading Republican candidates have generally supported President Bush’s plan. Now that rough dates have been attached to his formula, they will certainly come under scrutiny from both sides.


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There is a lot that can happen in 10 years. A long range prediction doesn't make much sense to me.

Gates is falling into linbe with the extended presence thing.


WASHINGTON — Against the backdrop of the improved security situation in Iraq , Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced Thursday a shift in U.S. strategy that will require an extended U.S. presence in Iraq , although with fewer troops.

Gates and top uniformed officers sketched out a plan that runs counter to pledges by Democratic presidential contenders to bring about a rapid drawdown of the U.S. military presence in Iraq . One candidate, former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina , called for the withdrawal of nearly all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of 2009.


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Nobody can predict what takes place in Iraq. We have seen where their predictions have ended up.

Unless there is a drastic change of policy in Iraq, it looks to be another Korea to me.

More people need to wake up to that fact. look how long we have had troops in Korea.

Exactly, and Korea is a lot more stable than Iraq is.