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Democrats and Republicans in the United States are already at odds over a timetable to leave Iraq, despite last week’s proclamations they would work together.
The Democrat Senator who is expected to take over the United States’ powerful Senate Armed Services Committee says he hopes the US will begin pulling troops out of Iraq in four to six months.
Speaking on the American ABC network, Senator Carl Levin said the US should pressure the Iraqi Government for a political solution to the turmoil there.
He said the US military commitment in Iraq is not open-ended and Americans had voted dramatically, overwhelmingly and resoundingly for a change of course in Iraq.
The prominent Republican Senator John McCain is advocating the opposite strategy.
“I believe that a withdrawal, or a date for withdrawal, will lead to chaos in the region,” he said.
“And most military experts think the same thing.
“I believe that there are a lot of things we can do to salvage this, but they all require the presence of additional troops.”
So, the battle lines are being drawn and the pieces being set. I think the key question will be how many generals and other senior army personals will start voicing their concern either way. They are probably going to determine the future of US in Iraq. My money is on democrats. And I am sure many conservatives also say the same thing so that 5 years from now they can go on about how democrats “lost the war” just like in Vietnam.