Iraq Withdrawal a Mistake, Heritage Report Says

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative research and educational institute, has published a new web memorandum that discusses the Levin-Reed Amendment that called for a withdrawal of U.S. military forces from the war in Iraq.

In the memorandum, titled "The Levin-Reed Amendment on Iraq: Cut in the U.N. and Run," Dr. James Jay Carafano and James Phillips argue that a premature withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq would be a catastrophic mistake and that congress should allow American military units to continue their current mission.

Senate Amendment 2087, introduced to the congress by Senator Carl Levin of Michigan and Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, proposed forcing President Bush to begin bringing home U.S. military troops in Iraq within the next four months. In addition, the measure, if passed, would have placed restrictions on the activities of troops remaining in Iraq and would have solicited the help of the United Nations in solving the ongoing conflict.

While the authors concede that the American military effort will not succeed without progress by the Iraqi government, headed by Nouri al-Maliki, they argue that "...a precipitous withdrawal of U.S. support would unquestionably guarantee failure, with disastrous results for Iraq, its neighbors, and U.S. national interests." To underscore the point about the consequences of withdrawal, the authors reference National Intelligence Estimates that have outlined the negative possibilities that could result from a failed Iraqi state.