Obama’s Meddling Undermines Future U.S.-Iraq Relationship
I disagree with ST333.
Congress will set the timeline and extent for withdrawal, not Obama. Is he going to veto a bill that pulls out all troops in a twelve month timeline when his stated position is withdrawal of combat troops in sixteen months? What’s the difference to him?
I expect Iran and AQ to become more assertive as we draw down. Iran, because the recent drop in oil prices really, really hurts them-they need to get oil back over $100 a barrel, and fomenting trouble in Iraq is the easiest, lowest risk way to do that. An America committed to withdrawal from Iraq certainly isn’t going to stop them. AQ will, of course, trade Afghanistan for Iraq in a heartbeat. Who wouldn’t?
Obama’s biggest decision is on the disposition of forces. Will they stay in a Petrean mode, engaged and proactive? Or will they be Rumsfeldian and disengaged from day to day Iraqi society? If our forces stay Petrean for sixteen months, then our influence ends by June 2010. If our disposition is Rumsfeldian, our influence ends at least a year earlier. Is that enough time for Iraq to prepare itself to defend against Iran and AQ?
