Leave Iraq and Stay Out, America
The Current Discussion: The Obama administration has finally set a date for withdrawing U.S. troops for Iraq. If ethnic strife returns there, raising again the specter of civil war, should the U.S. send troops back in?
Absolutely not. American troops should leave Iraq and stay out. If ethnic strife flares up again in Iraq beyond its current levels, it will probably be due to three possible causes: lingering resentments and active revenge for the abuses of the Baathist regime; destructive forces unleashed by the American-led invasion that removed the entire state structure; or, meddling by external forces from neighboring countries. A return of American forces would not resolve any of those issues or lower their intensity, but would only exacerbate them.
Certified idiots in international affairs led the U.S. into Iraq and only neo-idiots would consider a re-run of this fiasco. Iraq has to regain a greater measure of legitimacy its own internal governance balance and regional status, and this requires the U.S. troops to stay out.

