Can Obama Begin Withdrawing U.S. Troops From Iraq Without Reversing Progress?
There are some 2.3 million internally displaced Iraqis, too, and another 1.8 million living outside the country. Some of the internally displaced are starting to trickle back to their homes, but most of those who fled abroad have stayed away.
Furthermore, many of those who have fled were among the most educated: doctors, lawyers, and engineers, exactly the people most in demand now that violence has subsided and reconstruction is badly needed.
A group of city leaders in Ramadi this fall rejected a medical clinic that the Marine Corps offered to build and equip free of charge because there were no Iraqi doctors, nurses, or support personnel to staff it. "Why should we spend money guarding a building from looters if we can't use it," the city fathers told the corp.
The government in Baghdad faces challenges as well, including a pair of elections. The first will be held at the end of January to select new regional parliaments. A second will choose national leaders.
Infrastructure issues will be among the most pressing priorities, but the road will be long and reconstruction will far outlast the planned U.S. presence there.
Equally pressing is the need for Iraq to hold together a functioning government as the U.S. presence declines. Other key issues that have yet to be resolved are the final borders of the northern Kurdish region, the integration of Sunni militia elements into formal employment, and the fending off sometimes brazen efforts by Iran to influence events within Iraq. "If we can resolve the security issue and help secure the borders, it will go a long way toward Iraqis being able to control their own destiny," Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin , the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq, said last month.
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Reader Comments
Troops home..
I am all for bringing our troops home. But what about the civilian contractors who support our troops over there. They just pulled troops out of northern Iraq leaving numerous civilian contractors unprotected to try to break down their supplies.. Ya you guessed it they got attacked.. Why dont we try to get the civilian contractors who dont have guns and who cook, supply food, water and electric to our soldiers get them out or at least help them get out instead of leaving them there to defend themselves..I have a husband and an uncle over there, plus i am a Vet.... they should keep soldiers there to break down the equipment and get stuff out of there TOGETHER, since that is how they work... Now my Uncle has been attacked and shipped back to the US, no perminant residence here in the states, no job, and the fear he must have now... Currently i am waiting to see when my husband comes home, hoping that we dont loose everything and hoping he can find a job, i cant seem to find a good one, so i know it will be hard. I hope he makes it safely home.. He does not know if he will be leaving and or when becuase they can not leave all that stuff over there and they need the experienced ones to help with the breakdown... I pray that he is safe and dont sleep at night and wait daily for a call or an email to say he is still alive.. He was in a safe zone, never had any problems there for 3 years now, and now there is no one there to help them... THANKS MR PRESIDENT.
Irac war
My son is in Irac 3rd. Brigade 2nd.ID He left from Fort Lewis,Wa July 25,2009 Is there any chance he will not be spending a year term in Irac? He will be coming home sooner?
Here we go again
Sure! We can pull out of Iraq. But, as we pull out of Iraq, the country will become even less stable. The country will become a place of anarchy. Groups like the Taliban will cease the opportunity to accomplish their goal of destroying the U.S. I guess we will never learn. Way to go Obama!
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