Juan Cole: If you're going to get out, get out.

[Strelnikov_]

Informed Comment
Friday, July 13, 2007
http://www.juancole.com

The House of Representatives again rebuffed Bush on Iraq, voting by a comfortable majority to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq but to keep some there to fight 'al-Qaeda terrorists' in Iraq.

This plan of keeping troops in Iraq to fight "al-Qaeda" seems to me naive. Who is al-Qaeda? If you mean Iraqi Sunnis who have become Salafi Jihadis, then it seems unlikely that the US military can fight them successfully with a smaller force. It is just wishful thinking. If 160,000 US troops cannot do it, a smaller force cannot do it. And, the smaller you make the force, the more the US military becomes a sitting duck for militias and others. Likewise it is no good saying you'll keep troops in Kurdistan. Kurdistan is landlocked, and depends heavily for investment, trade and a route to the rest of the world on Turkey. No way to provision a US base unless the Turks give in and say they will permit its provisioning.

If you leave small expeditionary forces inside Iraq to fight "al-Qaeda," they will likely get massacred at some point, and then you'll be pulled right back into the maelstrom.

Make as many prudent political and military arrangements for Iraq as you still have the ability to make, and then . . . get out. If you're going to get out, get out.

[leftchick]

1. Juan is being naive

I am surprised he does not address the elephant in the room. OIL!!! The troops will remain to protect our assets. There is no fucking al-Qaida.

[phildo]

2. There HAS to be an AQ!!!

We hired and armed them! They better show up to work, dammit!

It has become a strange comedy. Glad I did not buy a ticket to it.

At least you got the "OUR" oil part right. :) :)