If we started full withdrawal of troops from Iraq today, it would take 2 years to complete...

[Blackhatjack]

I was reading an article recounting the withdrawal plan that Gates had been given.

Supposedly Kuwait is ready and able to handle 160,000 soldiers transitioning through on their way home. However, there are millions of pounds of equipment that the US intends to ship home that would have to be driven out of the country. And security would be a nightmare.

It is a logistical nightmare, especially if the government has collapsed --which is very likely to happen if not before we start to leave, certainly after we begin withdrawal.

[Cleita]

1. So is this an argument for staying?

If we don't start withdrawing now, it will take longer than two years, won't it.

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. A colleague of mine...

...was a warrant officer in Vietnam in the late 60's and very early 70's. He had orders, plans, the works, in a safe in his office, for a bug-out of all personnel in 72-96 hours. Even at that late date, there was an Iraq-sized contingent of US forces in country.

Materiel was either left behind intact, or destroyed, depending on its sensitivity.

The Republic of Vietnam was an ally, so we were leaving the materiel to a friendly government. Iraq's government is an ally -- or so we are repeatedly told -- so I don't see a difference.

[napi21]

6. You make a valid point. IF we really want the Iraqi army to

"STAND UP" wouldn't they need a lot of this equipment to do so?

[Warren Stupidity]

7. Exactly.

I have insisted here for years now (and how fucked up is that) that we could conduct an orderly retreat in weeks, not months, not years, and a bug out in days, and that the plans for both an orderly retreat and a bug out were most assuredly all worked out and good to go.

[johncoby2]

3. An orderly withdrawal would take 2 years.

A disorderly withdrawal would take less.

Admit it. Its a f*ckin mess. Lets give praise to W for mission accomplished.

[dkofos]

4. It would take me two years to do it if I new I could make a couple hundred BILLION dollars

by dragging my feet!!

[Raven]

5. This is the Republican spin. My answer: we better get started then.

[EST]

8. Even if this self serving prognostication were true, which it is not,

had we started on Aug. 5, 2005, we would be finished yesterday.

[Blackhatjack]

9. My reason for the OP is to publicize some specifics of the 'Withdrawal Plan' touted...

I think that the withdrawal should have started years ago.'

However, we need to be aware of the 'plans' that will be presented when withdrawal becomes the only option left.

I find the shipping equipment home argument lame. We have always left huge amounts of equipment behind rather than expend massive costs in shipping it home after hostilities.

I did report the facts as presented in the article that talked about the 'plan.' However, I cannot find the link to the story. Anyone else read this and have the link?

[Inuca]

10. This is a point Biden was making

I think he said at the very least one year (and that those that say differently do not know what they are talking about). It makes perfect sense, I am afraid.