Teribus and other giant intellects supporting the Iraq war--

I don't know where you're living, Teribus. It seems you're not in the UK. But wherever it is you should start working on your government to throw its money down the Iraq rathole. The US electorate is tired of doing so. There is no longer any danger that al-Qaeda can take over in Iraq--due to al-Qaeda's stupidity--the typical stupidity of a Puritan group--in efficiently alienating their fellow Sunnis by their vicious and brutal attempt to enforce their brand of Islam.   Not due to spectacular feats of arms by the US military.   If anything, it's also due to total rejection of your brilliant attitude--that all Sunnis were like Nazis at the end of World War II. I said from the start that Sunnis' views would have to be taken into account.

And as Amos has pointed out, al-Sadr's direction to his "Army" also has a bearing on the recent lull.

But the US has no more money to waste in Iraq. Facing a recession--perhaps with stagflation-- and with precious little political progress in Iraq to show for the "Surge"--which was of course the reason for it, it's time for our priorities to be elsewhere.

The US wants US troops to be immune from prosecution under Iraqi law and that US troops should be able to arrest Iraqi civilians and keep them in US facilities. Iraq is against both of these.

I think Iraq is right. But since there is no agreement, there is no legal basis for US military operations in Iraq after the UN mandate expires in December.

Fine. The troops' families would like to see them more often, there is more of a need in Afghanistan, and contrary to some pro-Iraq war posters, the US does not have unlimited funds to waste in Iraq. As I've said before, we can have a combat presence in "Kurdistan" where it serves a real purpose-- as a buffer against Turkish adventurism. "Kurdistan" has oil--and they want us. And the rest of the troops in Iraq should come home.