Abstract of Deccan Chronicle 2-14-2007 Time table for withdrawal from Iraq By Nicolos D. Kristof, of New York times For those like myself who oppose the US’s
presence in Iraq and are seeking a definite time table for the withdrawal of the US
troops, the hard question is,’What happens thereafter?”. Will the withdrawal end in massacre, or lead to a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran or lead to Kuridish-Arab-Turkmen fighting in Kirkuk or a Turkish invasion of Kurdistan? The opponents of withdrawal could very well ask, “if the above are likely, why opt for withdrawal at all?” President Bush’s stand is that a troops build up is necessary to avoid a
cataclysm. Rejecting this idea completely, the Iraqis say that the US presence provokes more violence than they prevent. Another set of Iraqis
feel that they will be more secure in their homeland without the US forces. They also are of the view that the feud between Shias and Sunnis will end and they may possibly move towards a political settlement if the US removes its presence on the Iraqi soil. Look at the situation from another angle: Assuming the US attacks Iranian nuclear sites during the balance 2 years’ of Bush’s tenure, won’t the Iranians then play havoc with the US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan? Isn’t the Iraq venture even now siphoning off vital resources and as a result we may fail in Afghanistan as well? “ The US
interests in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region can be more effectively advanced if the United States disengages from Iraq,” says another report. “Staying longer in Iraq means, more damage to the US interests.” Keeping the troops in Iraq has steadily increased the risk of a bloodbath. A majority of Iraqis also feel that the US are part of the
problem rather than the solution to their problem The best course of action appears to be, to announce a phased withdrawal, which will nudge the Iraqis back from the brink and make a cataclysm less likely. - - - - - - By Israel Jayakaran {AIJAYKAY>
More reviews about the The Deccan Chronicle, Chennai.