Extended presence of U.S. in Iraq looms large

[redphish]

I'm not sure if this has been posted yet but I'd like to see what y'all think.

<snip>

At another giant base, al-Asad in Iraq’s western desert, the 17,000 troops and workers come and go in a kind of bustling American town, with a Burger King, Pizza Hut and a car dealership, stop signs, traffic regulations and young bikers clogging the roads.

<snip>

Such bases would be a “stupid” provocation, says Gen. Anthony Zinni, former U.S. Mideast commander and a critic of the original U.S. invasion

<snip>

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11072377

Don't look like we're leaving anytime fucking soon.

:argh:

[NoAmericanTaliban]

1. Kicked - nice swimming pool - now we know where

the water is going. Wonder how much Haliburton charged for that.

[mmonk]

2. Always has.

Permanent means permanent.

[Roland99]

3. 4 bases times 17,000 = 68,000 permanent US troops in Iraq.