In Dissent, Michael Walzer, Jean Bethke Elshtain, Sohail Hashmi, and Gerard Powers debate the case for withdrawing from Iraq. Sohail Hashmi:
The civil war may continue, and it may even escalate. But, quite frankly, this is a war we cannot win for the Iraqis.
On the other hand, the shock of America’s departure may just provide the catalyst for the Iraqis to start working to resolve their own problems. America’s departure from Iraq may well provide the impetus for regional powers to play a constructive role, rather than watching Iraq burn as if it is in another city rather than in their own backyard. The terrorists won’t give up their battle, and they may even claim they have won. But so what? They are claiming that already. They are claiming that today.