The US intends to stay in Iraq and has built several huge bases in the desert to secure its presence.
The defacto dismemberment of the country will be part of the price the Iraqis will have to pay to submit to the continued American occupation.
The cost of the invasion/occupation has been immense and certainly the US wants to see its casualties and costs reduced but the conflict will almost certainly continue as long as there is an American military presence in Iraq.
Britain,the junior subaltern in all of this, has also spent billions of pounds and seen hundreds of troops brain damaged in Iraq and clearly wants to get out but has difficulty doing so without the sayso of Washington.
Afghanistan is if anything a bleaker prospect....
On the 15th March there is going to be a major anti war and anti occupation march in London.Do come along!
albert
albert