America doesn’t need to be in Iraq to ­advance and maintain its Mideast interests. We have bases throughout the region, from the eastern Mediterranean to the Gulf. The drone that killed Soleimani was dispatched from Qatar. America also has many allies it can call on, like stalwart Jordan, Saudi Arabia and above all Israel, as well as our more problematic NATO partner Turkey.

Those who advocate staying in Iraq are arguing largely from an admirable but impractical principle — the US must not cut and run. From that perspective, surrendering Iraq would give Soleimani one final victory from beyond the grave.

In reality, a US withdrawal is more likely to cause problems for Tehran. The departure of US forces would restore the regional dynamics to their natural state, in which Iran is a Persian Shiite power surrounded by a sea of Sunni Arabs, more keen for revenge than ever, after the depredations suffered over the last two decades in Iraq as well as Syria.