Time to Leave

Read what Kevin Drum has to say about Iraq. He pretty much sums up my thinking on our presence in Iraq.

Al Quaeda is growing stronger in Pakistan. The primary factor making this resurgence possible is the US presence in Iraq. The presence directly drives recruitment. More than that, however, is the absence of security in Iraq makes possible a robust industry of kidnapping for profit as well as a host of other illegal activities that are being used by Al Quaeda groups to fund their resurgence. Our invasion of Iraq has been from the beginning an ill-conceived, poorly planned military operation that has long since ceased to provide the US or Iraq any substantial benefit. The resources put into Iraq would serve us much better if they were withdrawn from Iraq and directed elsewhere. It is now clear that our presence in Iraq has become a huge detriment to the US and to Iraq. The only purpose still served by our forces in Iraq is to save American conservatives from having to admit that they were profoundly wrong and screwed up.