when do you think that the US army will pull out of Iraq?
955976
I take it you are one of those military experts that never served? Hey, you should be a Republican politician. The USA will pull out of Iraq when the hostilities have ceased and there is no threat from Iran and Syria. We do not hear much about it, but most insurgents that are not from Iraq enter over the border of Iran and Syria. The USA and Canada will be in Afghanistan, until the last al Qaeda is tracked down and killed or cartured. No women pres or pm, especially in Great Briton. They learned from Thatcher. US will not have a US president for another 20 years. I would get lower than a snakes belly or run the other way no matter where I am shot at. Some people do do extraordinary things in a hostile situation that you would not normally do.
931867
Didn't you know?  We won the war on May 1, 2003.  That's when the Pentagon declared the end of "major combat operations".\n\nApparantly, no one told the Iraqi people...
879747
Given that Bush has agreed to a speedy withdraw, I think its going to be a combo of Go Long and Home.\n\nHome -  a huge number of troops will finally come home.\nLong - I believe there will be US presence for a long time.  One is to help transition(there would be even more chaos w/o US forces).  Secondly, establish a US base like Okinawa, Frankfurt and many others around the world.\n\nI would've voted not to go there in the first place.  Since we're in this mess, I would have to vote for the Home (withdraw large numbers and keep some there until Iraq is able to manage things).
1084676
Yes, eventually. If more of you that want us out would enlist and we had enough troops for shorter rotations, we would have teh strength to leave sooner.
907271
I don't think they'll bring them home right away.  Georgie boy made quite a mess - it's going to take a while to clean it up.\n\nI think that it will be sooner - but we can't make a mess in the kitty litter box over there and then leave it for someone else to clean up.\n\nI think our force will be smaller, and it will be there more for aide than for war/policing.  that is Iraq's problem now.\n\nUnfortunately, they're in a civil war - whether Bush wants to admit it or not, and a lot of Iraqi's will die in that civil war - but again, that's not our problem.  We were going to stay out of it anyway.\n\nI foresee that if the Dems win, and they will - our boys (and girls) will be back home in two years - tops.\n\nI think we'll withdraw from Iraq, possibly even Afghanistan, and go do something worth-while, like help out in Africa.  That's where the real help is needed.
889180
Yes, and it's actually quite simple. Give the Iraqi government a SPECIFIC deadline to withdraw coalition troops and stick to it. They are not holding up their end of the deal. They think if they continue to appear weak and in distress that we will stay inevitably, and we seem to be falling into that trap. Our administration needs to get a clue that they are really being played by these people. How's April 1st. No Foolin'.
1184240
If I might ask, when exactly did anyone tell us to leave? Please give me a reference to a speceific report or news broadcast that says so.\n\nOk here is a quote from the article you were talking about, thank you! It was from Jalal Talabani as you stated who was the Iraqi President until the first election.\n\n"'We think that America has the full right to move some forces from Iraq to their country because I think we can replace them [with] our forces," Talabani said. "In my opinion, at least from 40,000 to 50,000 American troops can be [withdrawn] by the end of this year.'\n\n"That assessment differs dramatically from those offered by Bush and by U.S. military commanders in Iraq.\n\n"Bush has carefully avoided setting a timetable for reducing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, currently about 140,000, and the Pentagon plans to maintain or slightly increase the force level in anticipation of an Oct. 15 referendum on Iraq's new constitution. White House officials say that Bush's strategy for eventually withdrawing troops hinges on Iraqis' approving the constitution and holding successful elections in December."\n\nYou are not wrong that he talked about some troops leaving. But it was not a matter of telling the U.S. to get out. Of course you knew that I would find an inaccuracy as you said in your message to me. But that doesn't mean you can't admit being slightly wrong and that maybe you can learn something, or you can just ignore me and forget about it.\n\nHere is the explanation. Talabani was making a suggestion that we COULD relieve our forces, not that we should, nor was he making a demand. He was going to replace them with American trained Iraqi forces anyway. So that wouldn't really change a thing. President Bush and he agreed that there should not be a rush or timetable placed on the matter and that they could make a decision about that when the time came. He said at that time that it would be well after the election. We are at that point and now we are close to pulling out that many troops.\n\nIt was a suggestion. We would like to leave just as bad as they would like us to not be occupying them any longer, but Abass said that he is afraid that if we leave too early, his peace efforts with the Palestinians, Isreal and the Hamas would cause the new Iraqi government to crumble.\n\nHopefully we will pull out soon!
838125
YES, pulling out of Iraq now would be tantamount to the US Government pulling out of South Vietnam in 1975 and letting the Communist North Vietnamese coming across the border and killing 2 million South Vietnamese who had either worked for us or help us in the war and the \nPol Pot regime who killed another 2 to 4 million Cambodians.You are not wrong. What would happen \nwould be a signal to the Islamo-fascist terrorists that this country is ripe for a take over by them. We CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
47621
Technically, the war in Iraq has ended...so it all depends on which perspective you are looking at the situation from. Personally, as an Iraqi, I can say that our country has been rid of Saddam and politics are moving rapidly-elections, the constitution, and now the most legitimate government is being formed within the Middle East. As soon as suicide bombers become fewer and fewer the quicker the 'war' will be over, troops can go back home (I'm sure Americans don't want to stay any minute longer than necessary after the job is done), and Iraq's economy will build. Anyone will tell you it's only a matter of security-once that is upheld- the war will be over. The war with terrorists will not end anytime soon unfortunately, but that's not just in Iraq dear...that's all over the world. So the real question is when will this radical and bastardized version of Islam be wiped out-the answer is to finish off with the Mullahs who are preaching hatred and violence all in the name of Islam (which really is a peaceful religion)to young boys and girls and then telling them to go kill themselves in the name of this tainted version of Islam they have created.
536426
At this moment in time, no, I don't believe it's stable enough for a complete troop withdrawal.  The Iraqi government is not stable enough.
705434
While I am not serving actively now I am a veteran.  You need to change your statement to 'some' of the soldiers fighting over there understand.  There are many who do not believe we should be in Iraq.  There are many who do not believe Iraq is a true part of the war on terror.  Afghanistan is part of that war but we are not putting anywhere near as much support into that war now.\n\nIt is not reasonable to state that if we pull out of Iraq the Sunnis, Shia's and Kurds will come here to fight.  These people are fighting for superiority or seperate statehood in Iraq.  They would have nothing to gain by coming here.  As for the real trerrorist organizations?  Our presence there may make it easier for them to fight us close to their homes but don't kid yourself, that will not stop them from attempting to hit us here.  whether we stay there or not that will always be a danger.
1015090
well iraq will no way be better if the american troops were to pull out of it.\nit will plunge the country into a civil war with the radical factions assissted bu the neighbouring countries trying to take control of the secular govt installed in there.\nmoreover terrorist organisation would find it a very favourable destination to base their activities in the absence of a real and effective law enforcement agencies
983745
At this point, just leaving Iraq right now with the situation it's in is a recipe for disaster. If you think it's bad now, just imagine what it'll be like without us. On the other hand, it's more of a catch-22 than anything. If we keep staying in Iraq, insurgents will keep killing soldiers. If we leave, however, everything we've done will be for nothing. The closest thing we can do that would be considered winning in my opinion is to have a functioning government, an army that can hold it's own, and basically get Iraq back on it's feet. After that, then we should leave. If there is *no* way we can win the war without anything like divine intervention, then we might as well leave.
1055735
Whe the Iraqi government takes over Iraq.  We pulled out of Somalia prematurely, and conditions got worse than they were before we went in.  We pulled out of Vietnam prematurely, and conditions got worse than they were when we went in.  There is no time limit for war.
1080271
The US won't leave Iraq anytime soon. I see them there 50 years from now.
1070207
I believe the numbers I heard a couple days ago were something like ~200,000 total troops made of 110-120K US, 20K other, and remaining balance Iraqi.  The report went on to say the newly formed Iraqi army (remember, they've only been around for a year or so) is becoming much more organized and much more proficient so they are really starting the help the other allied forces and have even taken on some operations independently.  The belief is that as they continue to grow in ranks and become self-sufficient, we can draw down correspondingly.\n\nI don't know if it will take less than 5 years, but I doubt more than a decade.
849044
Do not.\n\nI do not want to concede a victory to terrorists. We can eventually withdraw a majority of our troops, but only when Iraq is positioned to handle their own security.\n\nEven then, I think Iraq would be a strategic location for an American military installation to keep an eye on oil shipping channels, keep Iran in check, and generally have a presence in the middle east.