What if every US troop left Iraq...today? what would happen?

Question

lots of talk on the news about bringing troops home. Should we care what happens in iraq if we leave? what would happen? How should it affect our decisions on troop levels?

3 days into the answer period and the best answer is a statement about iraq being in civil war.

Still the question lingers, what would happen if we all left today?

Answer 1

There would be instant chaos. A lot more lives would be lost. Property and infastructure would be destroyed. The new government would collapse. Terrorist thugs would have the run of the country.

Answer 2

The same thing as if we had brought them home a year ago or if we bring them home next month, next year, or 10 years from now, Iraq will go ahead with the civil war that everyone in the world, except the Bush and Blair fools, knew would happen if Hussein was removed from power.

Other than the Sunni and S'hia killing each other, they will both kill the Kurds and then fight over the northern oil fields.

The truth is no one knows how far and seriously the violence wil extend. Unfortunately, there is no way for us to ever know. The situation is too complex to be managed successfully.

If 25,000,000 million people want to have a civil war, there is really nothing you can do to stop it. In the short term you can deal with it the way Hussein did, by controlling the population with brutal force, but in the long run the war is going to happen.

Answer 3

Hello - it's already chaos, Iraq has been destabilized with catastrophic repercussions. Have you ever been to Alternet to read about the the impact? We can stay another year, or 10 or 20. Do ya really think we're going to change the minds of all of those in that region? Really now. There is not much love going around.

Answer 4

If U.S.-led forces were to leave in a hurry, a vaccuum would remain, effectively leaving the fledgling democratic government on its own to protect itself.

What would occur is this:
1. the government would collapse to either murder, pressure, irrelevance, or a combination of the three.
2. Islamic sectarian strife would continue, effectively plunging the country into civil war.
3. Iran would intervene to stablize the region, and set up a theocratic "democracy" such as their own.
4. U.S. influence in the region would diminish significantly
5. Oil prices would rise significantly (contrary to the opinions of many)
6. The U.S.-backed government in Lebanon would probably be negatively affected as well, probably ending in a Syrian incursion (backed in secret by Iran).
7. Anti-American rhetoric developed by extremist groups would spike; they would claim victory and draw more impressionable Muslim youth to the "cause"
8. Groups like al-Qaeda, bolstered by the apparent victory, would continue with plans to dominate countries with a strong Muslim majority.

If you can't see what follows...well...I'm sure you can...

Answer 5

The country would descend into chaos, civil war and endless fighting between various factions and militias. We would get no oil out of the region. How do you think that would effect the people in there and the world's various economies? Simple answer I thought.

Answer 6

The resistance fighters would take over and a terrorist groups would run the country in no time. This would cause even more death then there is now and possibly more large scale attacks, not necessarily on the US but also on surrounding countries.

But that's just my opinion.

Answer 7

You might let Kev know that Iraq is already "plunged" into a civil war.

Answer 8

The lack of security would allow insurgents to take over, plunging Iraq into chaos and civil war.

Edit- Ri, the enemy is all but defeated. They're called insurgents for a reason.

Answer 9

Civil War is already on over there.
Impeach.

Answer 10

Peace will be restored, claiming that chaos will take place is to Justify the existance of the american troops