Iraq

Is This The End?

The Iraqi parliament has voted us off the island:

It also sets out a timetable requiring American troops to withdraw from cities and towns by June 30, 2009, and for all troops to leave the country by the end of 2011 unless the Iraqis and Americans negotiate a separate pact to extend the American military presence.

Let's hope this sticks. Tempering my own enthusiasm for this deal, I've always contended that we could withdraw every American from Iraq tomorrow and the war wouldn't be over. Aftershocks in the form of terrorism, sectarian civil war and deepened anti-Americanism brought on by this invasion and occupation will be with us for decades, so the notion of "the war is over" is simplistic and nearsighted.