Would it be a good idea for the US to create a timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq?

Answer 1

Excellent question, but a complicated one. You make more sense that the U.S. Government even though they have ONLY discussed a timetable to bring troops home. As of April 2007 has been a continuous issue within the U.S.. The U.S. public opinion has turned in favor of troop withdrawal. 55% of Americans believe that war in Iraq was a mistake (this has changed to over 80% as of September/07) an 51% (now over 80%) of voters favor troop withdrawal. President Bush vetoed the idea of a timetable for withdrawal. To this day President Bush refuses to consider a timetable to gradually pull troops out of Iraq. The House voted on June 16, 2006 (256-153) in a non binding resolution against a deadline for withdrawing troops from Iraq. Republican House Majority Leader John Boehner was quoted as saying 'we must not shy away.' Democratic House Minority Leader and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was quoted as saying 'stay the course is not a strategy, it's a slogan' and it's time to face facts.' A future plan was suggested that Mercenaries would be sent home first; 15,000 soldiers were to be established. Troops that would be withdrawn would be from Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco paid by the U.S. government and this force would remain two years after the departure of U.S. Troops; the immediate cessation of work on U.S. military bases; In place of a new Iraqi army a national reconstruction corps should be established, modeled from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; release prisoners of war and U.S. withdrawl from the Green Zone. Analysts said there is no safe way to leave Iraq. If the U.S. leave the war now it will give Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations a Propaganda victory leading to a bloodier war in the Middle East. They added that a fast withdrawal will disrupt oil lines and raise gas prices because of the likelihood of a civil war. A premature withdrawal would allow Iraq a base for terrorist operations (example: Afghanistan before Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S.' While the above opinions may have some fine points the truth of the matter (news reports and interviewing U.S. soldiers) they are wondering why they are there and what they are now fighting for. Some soldiers are simply tired of killing innocent civilians and feel they are not winning this war. It appears this war in Iraq rather smells like the Vietnam war!