A remarkable fact emerged from a recent debate among top Democratic party contenders for the US presidency. Unless they are lying, which is not unheard of as regards politicians, the US is in Iraq to stay. None of the candidates would promise to withdraw troops by the end of the next presidential term in 2013.
As Washington Post explains, For a Democrat, Options in Iraq Could Be Few. On the face of it, this seems to mean that there just is no responsible way to walk away from Iraq. Both the domestic political fallout, and the actual geopolitical consequences for US presence in the Middle East, would be disastrous.
On the other hand, it could just mean that campaign managers decided that any candidate who says they are going to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq will lose the election. Or, circumstances, such as rising casualties and increasing budgetary concerns, could force a re-evaluation.
Nonetheless, it is a fact that cannot be ignored. Middle East geopolitics just changed dramatically. Nobody can count any longer on an imminent US collapse in Iraq
Ami Isseroff
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