Obama's drawdown plan in Iraq is way too steep

Although any new security agreement must be negotiated with the Iraqi government — for which the politics of this question are extremely sensitive — the Iraqis do not appear to be the force pushing to reduce a future U.S. military presence. In fact, all of Iraq’s major political blocs, with the exception of the Sadrists, agreed last month to begin negotiations for a U.S. military mission beyond this year. This was a major breakthrough and reflects what Iraq’s key leaders have told us: They want U.S. troops to stay in Iraq…

Some may claim that a smaller troop presence in Iraq after this year is necessitated by our fiscal woes. We strongly disagree. Whether the United States has 3,000 troops or a larger force in Iraq will make no meaningful difference to our budgetary situation. But it may prove the difference between a stable, democratic, U.S.-aligned Iraq vs. one that slides back into chaos — and that outcome could cost Americans enormously. It would also be viewed, throughout the world, as a major defeat for the United States and a boon to our two most dangerous adversaries, al-Qaeda and Iran.