Just a reminder: We are never leaving Iraq.

[Mr Rabble]

You know it as well as I do. We are never leaving Iraq.

We still have a very heavy presence in Okinawa as well as Korea; what would lead any of us to believe that this will be any different?

It wont. We are in Iraq forever.

With this in mind, maybe we can start to focus our considerable energies on the reasons "why" we are in Iraq, rather than the "how" of the tactical decisions surrounding the occupation.

Lets drive the debate toward the why.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. The Iraqis disagree and are doing pretty good job of giving us the boot.

[Lerkfish]

2. the proof is the size and nature of the permanent bases, and Bush's Palace

you don't build things like that unless you intend to never leave.

[Mr Rabble]

12. Of course. But that is just the manifestation of policy

that has been common knowledge- to those who are not willfully ignorant- for many years.

This is THE BIG prize.

[bdamomma]

3. bush is after that oil pure and simple, that want dominance

in the region, I wonder what the Saudis their friends will say to that.

[Virginia Dare]

4. You're causing me to sacrifice my peace of mind...n/t

[Nickster]

5. Only thing I know for sure at this point is that we ain't leaving before 2009. n/t

[LynneSin]

6. Well at least not while Bush is in office - he's keeping there until he's gone

that way another administration can be blamed on Bush's failure

[Forrest Greene]

7. I Think

...you may be right, unfortunately. I also think you'll see Iraq, North Korea & Japan flying U.S. troops home, first class, one by one, before you'll see any substantive discussion of the Why in the mass media.

[Az]

8. Culture will out the troops

They do not want us there. We are not of their way. We are as alien to them as can be. As long as we remain we will be the enemy.

[Stanchetalarooni]

9. We never left Kansas. We just made it our own.

Of course it took a lot of dead Native Americans.
A lot of dead bison too!

[Swede]

10. Of course the US will leave Iraq. Diplomats are lining up now.

[noonwitch]

11. Eventually, they will run out of oil

Or we will finally develop a cheap, reusable source of energy and no longer need oil.

[NNN0LHI]

13. That is what I thought about Vietnam too

The Vietnamese had different ideas.

Don