After the UK also the US: to leave Iraq within 12-18 months

The US military was about “75 per cent” through the process of building up Iraqi security forces and would be able to hand over full responsibility for security to them in 12 to 18 months, the top US general in Iraq said on Tuesday.

The statement by General George Casey seemed intended to underline that the United States would stick to its current strategy of trying to strengthen Iraqi forces’ capabilities prior to major withdrawals of US forces.

Financial Times

Great news! Let's see how long Iraqi security forces will be able to stand on its own. A country which is in totally chaos worse than before the illegal invasion, and now.. we just run away, we lost and we can count on an increase of terrorist attacks. They will certainly see it as a defeat of the infidels.

It's too shameful!

This is a case of damned if we do and damned if we dont.
This is basically Vietnam part 2.If we stay and things get worse,its our fault.And when we leave and things get worse,its still our fault.The only saving grace is,the troops can return home to there families,and the hope things over there get better than worse.

After building the new Embassy/Fortress does anyone really think they'll start pulling out troops anytime soon. When Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld have said many times that they envisage troops being there for a decade or more, can we really believe that they'll suddenly change tack? Ok, there's the mid-terms coming up so maybe a few votes to be saved by talking about a withdrawal but it's just more meaningless talk.

Lets face it, itwon't really make that much difference if US/UK withdraw from Iraq. Whatever happens theres going to be (or there is) a civil war in Iraq anyway. Why get our troops killed for the sake of Iraq?

Oh, right, the oil. Of course, how could I forget that?

[edit on 24-10-2006 by apex]

The Democrats want to set a certain date and just cut out regardless of what is going on over there. What on earth klind of strategy is that except for pure cowardess and capitulation.

I may be wrong but this thread is better served in the Politics @ ATS side. Two weeks before major elections and many promises such as this coming forth either to fool the people that read it or move the masses in a controlled direction. America will not leave the region until after 2015 if at all. So where will you be in 2015 in retirement or forced to serve in a bigger war that will come about by staying the course. You cannot have your cake and eat it too is the world of war.
All the new laws are not going to go away just because we say we are leaving a war area, it because they know that the war will engulf the world in the near future
and with America having to stand alone against the Shangia five. There is no way we will leave the gulf area for to do so will spell our doom!

Originally posted by mondegreen
I may be wrong but this thread is better served in the Politics @ ATS side. Two weeks before major elections and many promises such as this coming forth either to fool the people that read it or move the masses in a controlled direction.

You want this thread to be moved in order to prevent it from getting attention, of did I get you wrong? What backs up your claim that US forces won't leave Iraq until after 2015? I've seen several interviews with Democrats who rather seem coalition forces to leave today than tomorrow; for how long will the Bush Administration in office?

The presence of coalition troops is important as they prevent insurgents from opening full scale attacks on towns and villages. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran would increase financial and/or militarily support to several groups in Iraq. Believe me... their presence does make a difference.