U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq

U. S. withdrawal from Iraq is an issue that has been raised on all sides almost since the moment the statue of Saddam Hussein was toppled.  Many Americans and Iraqis assumed that U. S. withdrawal from Iraq would take place after a very brief mopping up action by U. S. Troops.  As time passed  and insurgency activity increased so did American military involvement and the prospect  of rapid U. S withdrawal from Iraq seemed dim..  After three years  of American troops  participating on the ground in Iraq, the discussion about U. S. withdrawal from Iraq has become a heated international debate focusing on whether or not to set a firm timetable for U. S. withdrawal from Iraq or not.

U. S. Government Position    Since the need for continued U. S. involvement in Iraq first became a military and political issue, the Bush administration has been reluctant to set a definite, concrete time table for U. S. withdrawal and not without reason.

According to the Bush argument, tipping our hand prematurely about when or how we might begin troop withdrawal could upset the progress being made in the development of the new democracy in Iraq.  Insurgents who learned of the specific dates of U. S. planned withdrawals could simply sit back and wait to attack the new Iraqi government once American were effectively off the scene.  

Announcing our withdrawal date in advance, Bush people believe, might also weaken the resolve of the Iraqi people.  Feeling that their support system was  about to betray them might cause the Iraqis to cave in to insurgency forces and would negatively effect U. S.-Iraqi relations.

Instead  of setting a firm deadline for U. S. withdrawal , the Bush government has clung  to the policy that once the Iraqi forces and government are ready to fully stand up and take responsibility for the law and order of the country the sooner American troops can stand down and prepare to return home.