When the US pulls out of Iraq, what happens to our foreign policy?

[Marr]

This is something I haven't heard discussed much, if at all. I'm talking about the national psyche, and how it will affect our government's methods of projecting power.

We could use Vietnam as a guide, I suppose. Vietnam had a profound effect on the US, with the population becoming very hesitant to commit US troops to overt foreign actions. Our government continued it's involvement in foreign struggles, of course- but the fighting was done mostly by proxy, recruiting and funding foreign fighters to do the dirty work.

I have to wonder if we aren't going to see a return to this style of "doing business" in the future.

How do you suppose our government will act towards South America? They've been organizing and making real progress in recent years, and I have to think it's partially due to the fact that the neocons have got our military in the Middle East.

What do you suppose will happen to the Middle East, very generally speaking? How do you suppose our own government will deal with it?

[TahitiNut]

1. How will Iraq become pregnant with democracy ...

... if the U.S. pulls out before wargasm? That'd be neoconitus interruptus.

[countmyvote4real]

2. It'll eventually regain credibility if we act responsibly sooner rather

rather than later.

Those are broad strokes that you suggest in your hypothetical question. It suggests that any policies undertaken by the rulers of our country represent the views of the governed (us/our/whatever). If you believe in the relative validity of polls, then you can see that the country (at large) no longer supports this war or the policies of the * administration at home or abroad. I’m sure it will be easier to unify the country than it will be to reestablish our leadership on the world stage.

We are the new Germany in more ways than one. Our biggest obstacle is that we are Americans and don’t admit defeat.

On second though, our crediblitly will be a long time coming.