WE will have a force in IRAQ for many years to come. It would be a huge political blunder to do anything else.

Quicker than with republicans...

Pre-election promises is nothing to do with the post-election performance. It is impossible to withdraw forces from Iraq immediately, otherwise that will cause more harm to the World's security.

We may start drawing down troop strength in Iraq, but Obama has made it plenty clear that he merely intends to shift forces over to Afghanistan. He has made it also clear various times in his campaign that an invasion of Pakistan is not out of the question. Only yesterday did I hear news that this nuclear power is on the verge of an economic and political crisis. Food and fuel shortages are common as protests for a new government sweep that country. They are on the brink, folks. This will be our new trouble spot, along with the Caucasus and possibly even the Russians.

And we're not pulling completely out of Iraq anytime soon. As the very least, there will still likely be around 50,000 boots on the ground there come 2012. The Obama crowd's emphasis won't be on the Middle East, it will on South Asia. That is the next trouble spot.

We were stupid to get into Iraq, but once the damage was done, we should clean up our mess. I agree we shouldn't leave it in chaos and as a haven for Al-Queda in Iraq, and I think Obama is a lot smarter than to do that. He'll get us out with "deliberate speed," with emphasis on deliberate, meaning well thought out and thoroughly considered. Thank the stars he won't be a President who would send our troops to fight unless it's necessary, as it is in Afghanistan but wasn't in Iraq.

I too am anxious to have our troops return home, as long as our withdrawl does not send a message that negates their sacrifice. Whether it was right to go or not, our exit should not leave things worse.

Boy, I definitely wouldn't count on this regardless of what side you are on.  Bush isn't solely responsible for this war either--it was ultimately the Democrats and Republicans who voted for it.

Lets not celebrate leaving Iraq until we see what the consequences of doing so will be. I'll be extremely happy when as many troops as possible are out of harms way, and Iraq is relatively stable. I won't celebrate a withdrawal from Iraq if that country falls into turmoil and becomes a refuge for terrorist groups plotting attacks against the US and other countries.

I think this is finally going to become a reality. But I think it's going to be pretty gradual, as it should be.

Depending on the circumstances of that exit...

Numbah is correct....but here is the caveat: The mantra from the left will be, "Bush got us into Iraq, Obama got us out". This of course will be fiction...but....need I say more?

That table is already set.