A decade more: Exit from Iraq in 2018?

AP Photo

A senior Iraqi official says American troops will be needed until 2018. Do Americans have that much patience?

Featured Topic | Posted 44 weeks 4 days ago

A decade more: Exit from Iraq in 2018?

Iraq's defense minister says his country will need U.S. troops to help protects its borders at least until 2018.

"In regard to the borders, regarding protection from any external threats, our calculation appears that we are not going to be able to answer to any external threats until 2018 to 2020," Abdul Qadir said.

Why will American troops be needed that long? And will Americans have the patience to sustain the commitment?

Ben likes: Disturbingly dismissive

IraqPundit

Each time I say it's unfair to leave the civilians to the terrorists of al-Qaeda and the Shiite militias, I can practically hear the New York Times editorial board say "yeah, whatever." Maybe the reason Iraq's defence minister suggested 2018 as a U.S. exit date because al-Qaeda is unlikely to wait that long. It's not as though Bush will play the flute when he departs and have all the bad things leave with him. The problems will still be there in January 2009, and the terrorists will murder civilians while you continue to blame Bush.

Joel likes: Iraq forever

Matt Yglesias/Atlantic.com

A large number of people agree with my preference for an expeditious withdrawal from Iraq. Unfortunately, though, it's not a majority of people. But the number of people who favor the sort of decade-plus engagement that constitutes the actual alternative to expeditious withdrawal is incredibly small. What's needed, however, are political leaders who are willing and able to re-enforce the point that's been revealed again and again by American reporters -- the alternative to leaving is staying for a very, very, very long time.