While American credibility is probably at its lowest since Vietnam, what gives America that good will, at least in my humble opinion is the liberties that are often taken for granted by Americans. Assuming the far majority of us are American, for one the freedom of speech we are exercising right now and allowing the transfer of ideas no matter how ridiculous they seem to others. Plus the ability to directly and openly criticize the government is a huge place on the world stage.
In the idea of keeping the discussion going, Id like to read some posts on where you think or hope Iraq will be 2013, 10 years after Bush led us on this adventure.
For me it is like this, despite the incompatent leadership that has been displayed since this began, I hope that 10 years after it all started that Iraq will be a flagbearer of liberties among the corruption that is currently and has historically gone on in the middle east. I hope we can begin buying Iraqi oil on large scale rather than continuing to prop up a horrible monarchy in KSA, through our need for petroleum.
That all being said, I think what is most likely to happen is that there will only be a small token force of troops on the ground after the next President is inagurated in January 2009. By Jan.1 2010, there will probably be less than 40K troops.
I often wonder though, how long the Iraqis would continue in thier civil war if the Americans pulled out tomorrow? Is thier mere presence there alone causing a good chunk of this violence through the perception that one side is helping the Americans at the cost of another side.
