[RWebb]

We should be careful who we are putting in what category. Most of the politicians who say "get us out" are advocating an extended draw-down -- IIRC, Obama's is about 16 months long, and the endpoint is not zero troops in Iraq.

The real problem for the US is that we are tied down in Iraq. We might want to use those troops in Pakistan, in Afghanistan, or in Iran.

Or -- we might just want leaders in certain countries to feel like we could easily use our troops in the above countries. A credible threat or show of force is often as useful as actual use. Witness the famed "Dictator Gulp Moment: "Supreme Leader! There are ships full of US Marines sitting just off our coastline!"

It adds to the calculus...