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The US and the UK are still in Iraq?! Everyone else that surfed in on the wave of anti-terrorism had already left long ago.

I don't know what the point is of staying any longer...even if they stay 5 more years some radical militant force is going to overthrow the Iraqi government the moment the US leaves. Then we'll have a lot of dead people on all sides, a lot of money wasted, and a new regime! A muslim extremist one at that.

If that's the result of the 'war on terror' then I say: bring back Saddam.

You are one doubting mofo.

Personally, I'm for pulling out of there and just kissing the middle east of entirely. But I'm just sick of their two faced crap.

To rebuff you, the exact same strategy is working wonders in the Balkans. There hasn't been a racially motivated mass killing in years.

Yes but those people aren't Arabs.

true, but a big chunk of them ARE muslims.... which seems to be more of a problem than the Arabism. Look at Sri Lanka and the Phillipines...those aren't Arabs either.

As mentioned somewhere in another topic: i think it's hard to compare Iraq and the Balkan since the latter is in Europe. Influence and control (by the EU for example) are much bigger and much more effective when you leave things in people's hands.

If i'm not mistaken, Eastern Europe is falling into smaller countries as well, so that several groups can identify themself with a country. Or at least aren't governed by the enemy. I think in Iraq there are 2 very different groups, under Saddam one had the power, now Saddam is gone the other one holds the power. I think there's still one unhappy group this way.

Call me a doubter or a pessimist, but i don't think in 5 years or 10 years there will be much left of the 'new Iraq' that's being build now, unless America (and UK) keep (partially) in control.

yea....you're probably right. We still have troops in the Balkans, and that's been like 6 years now, I think? But the region has stabilized, which imo is worth the sacrifice of time and cash.

You're right about Iraq. Three are two major groups...Saddam was part of the minority and pwned the country forever. Now the other group is in control, as democracy would seem to encourage. There are also the Kurds, another oft-maligned people. If the three weren't intermixed, you could break the country into 3 pieces, giving one piece to each. Maybe that'd work, but who gets the "nice" areas of Iraq, vs the rest?