Steve Chapman on How Long We Should Stay in Iraq

When the United States invaded Iraq in March
2003, Americans were told it would be a quick, simple project. When
asked how long the war might last, Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld said airily, “Six days, six weeks, I doubt six
months.”

So what’s the complaint today from those who advocated the war
most vigorously? We left too soon.

Republican Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and Kelly Ayotte
put out a statement the other day blaming the recent rout of Iraqi
government forces on “President Obama’s decision to withdraw all of
our troops from Iraq in 2011.” That final pullout came in December
of 2011, or more than eight years after Rumsfeld expected our war
to be over, write Steve Chapman.

We could also resort to air strikes, drone attacks or even
ground troops. But if eight years of fighting by the American
forces didn’t save Iraq from chaos, another round is not likely to
make much difference, argues Chapman.

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