# How much better (if at all) are things getting in Iraq? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 21, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-better-if-at-all-are-things-getting-in-iraq/427271 "2007-11-21T01:15:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-better-if-at-all-are-things-getting-in-iraq/427271/41 "2007-11-22T18:24:58Z")
I predict we will still have combat troops in Iraq during Hillary’s second term. Might be Rudy, but more likely Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-better-if-at-all-are-things-getting-in-iraq/427271/42 "2007-11-22T21:10:03Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] I predict we will still have combat troops in Iraq during Hillary’s second term. Might be Rudy, but more likely Hillary. [/QUOTE] There’s a meme on the Dem side about how Hillary, Obama, and Edwards are all the same because they won’t commit to pulling all our troops out by 2013. Of course they won’t. Here are the likely realities that are constraining them: 1. We will continue to have a U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for as long as we can protect it. 2. Baghdad will continue to be a war zone for years to come. 3. Therefore, we’ll need combat troops in Baghdad for years to come, to defend the embassy. 4. Given the distance between Baghdad and the borders of the nearest friendly nations, it would be advisable to maintain and defend Balad AFB, our closest “permanent base” to Baghdad, as a line of retreat in case we wind up having to do a Vietnam-style, helicopters-from-the-Embassy-roof, evacuation. So there will be U.S. combat troops in Iraq in 2013, regardless of who wins the election. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-better-if-at-all-are-things-getting-in-iraq/427271/43 "2007-11-22T21:20:52Z")
Hell, will there even be an “Iraq”, as a single, unified entity? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-better-if-at-all-are-things-getting-in-iraq/427271/44 "2007-11-22T21:24:20Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Hell, will there even be an “Iraq”, as a single, unified entity? [/QUOTE] It’s hard to say. My guess is there will be a single, unified ‘Iraq’ about the same time every thread dealing with Iraq (and most threads dealing with anything else) isn’t hijacked with the ‘Bush sucks’ meme. Come to think of it, I suppose that means no…there will never be a unified ‘Iraq’. -XT ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-better-if-at-all-are-things-getting-in-iraq/427271/45 "2007-11-22T21:54:48Z")
Would we be talking about Iraq _at all_ if it wasn’t for Bush and the Neocons? I mean, some things are joined at the hip and this whole mess happens to be one of them. Thus, it is rather impossible to talk about them independently…simply because they are not. Actions provoke reactions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-better-if-at-all-are-things-getting-in-iraq/427271.md?page=2)