Hagel says Bush foreign policy logic counterintuitive

Virtually all Democrats and independents, including many Republicans, agree that staying the course in Iraq through the end of 2008 is not an smart option.  Though, what many foreign policy analysts disagree about is what will happen if and when U.S. forces exit Iraq?  Will the Middle East turn into a haven for Al Qaeda, as many Bush allies have warned?  Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) does not think that would happen:

"I don't accept that. I think that runs counterintuitive to everythingI know about the people in the Middle East," Hagel said in May 8 speechto the Council on Foreign Relations. "The Sunnis and the Shias and theKurds do not embrace al-Qaida. They do not support al-Qaida. They donot want al-Qaida running their country."

Right now, Al Qaeda, Syria and Iran are fixated on the same end result: bog the U.S. down in Iraq.  But once the U.S. is gone, Iran and Syria will want to establish order.  The only way to extend their influence over Iraq is to fight Al Qaeda.  Once the U.S. is gone, no sovereign Sunni or Shiite leader wants a rogue element destabilizing the country.

So no, Al Qaeda will not follow us home if we leave.  They will be fought by the next Iraqi ruler.

Comments

[George]

you mean Muqtada al Sadr?

I wonder if Britain viewed George Washington like Sadr is viewed now. I guess, like Bush says, things like this will be debated by historians for centuries to come. And only in like 1000 years will we conclude that Bush was clearly right.