Originally Posted By: benjammin
This idea that we will just pack up all our troops and equipment and go home is unrealistic, even if we were to relinquish all the daily patrols and counter-insurgent actions to the Iraqis tomorrow, we would still keep at least a few thousand troops and supplies in strategically located and well fortified bases. I bet the "IZ" will be controlled by allied forces for at least another decade.

We aren't going anywhere for a long while.



True. But it'll definitely be more than a few thousand. More like tens of thousands (not counting private contractors). With all this talk of withdrawl no politicians or pundits mention there are up to four permanent "mega bases" in various stages of construction around the country. Balad air base, Al-Asad, etc. Not to mention the vatican sized, billion dollar embassy. You don't invest those kinds of resources if you plan on leaving.