U.S. Combat Operations in Iraq Are Over—Now What?

On May 1, 2003, two months after the invasion of Iraq, President George W. Bush stood on an aircraft carrier and said: “My fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended.” Two weeks ago, they actually did. The intervening seven years—longer than World War II—saw unexpected opposition, failed policies, thousands more deaths, the diminution of Bush’s presidency and, ultimately, a strategic gamble that paid off. Now what? We still have 50,000 support troops in a fragile country in a fraught part of the world. What should be our role going forward? Do we have gains to consolidate, or should we just get the rest of our people out as quickly as possible? Please post your thoughts below on the future of the United States in Iraq.

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