Could Iraq's Violence Halt The U.S. Withdrawal?

U.S. Army Capt. Jayne Strathe, attached to 1314th Civil Affairs Company, 17th Fires Brigade, speaks with a local man about his community during a joint foot patrol conducted with the 14th Iraqi army division, Al Ashar, Iraq, on Dec. 9, 2009. The patrol was conducted to promote stability and to assess the needs of the local populace. DoD photo by Spc. Samantha R. Ciaramitaro, U.S. Army. (Released)

U.S. Fears Election Strife in Iraq Could Affect Pullout -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — The deadly suicide bombings in Iraq on Wednesday highlight the central quandary facing President Obama as he tries to fulfill his campaign pledge to end the war there: Will parliamentary elections, scheduled for Sunday, throw the country back into the sectarian strife that flared in 2004 and delay the planned American withdrawal?

Senior Obama administration officials maintained in interviews this week that Mr. Obama’s plan to withdraw all American combat troops by Sept. 1 would remain on track regardless of who cobbles together a governing coalition after the election. Under the plan, no more than 50,000 American forces would stay behind, mostly in advisory roles. (Now there are slightly more than 90,000 troops in the country, down from 124,000 in September.)

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My Comment: I personally find it hard to believe that the Iraqis would be "stupid" enough to go back to the bloodshed and violence of 3-5 years ago. Having said that .... if there is one thing that I have learned about the Middle East it is that bloodshed and violence has been one of the constants in the region for the past six thousand years.

The next 2-3 years is going to be crucial for Iraq .... and in the end it is their country and they are the ones who will have to make the decision that it is something that is worth preserving. We are just "tourists" in the region, and in the end we are going to leave the place.