Serious complex thinking is in order.
But it is also true that leaving Iraq could prove extremely costly. Fearon expects that withdrawal is likely to accelerate the conflict, unleashing an even more intense campaign of ethnic cleansing of civilians. So if the United States did decide to leave Iraq, it should signal its intentions clearly and give civilians time to sort themselves into ethnically homogenous groups, protected by their respective militias. Leaving Iraq could also embolden U.S. enemies, though the spectacle of the United States bogged down in Iraq might arguably embolden them more. Withdrawal might also allow Iran to establish control over its neighbor, though Iran might find Iraq almost as difficult to control as the United States has.
Source: Sebastian Mallaby – And Now, Back to The War – washingtonpost.com
