America is Not Leaving Iraq

It's an exchange. As the final US military troops exit war torn Iraq after 10 years, the Iraqis will still have PLENTY of Americans to target if they wish- some 16,000 personnel who work for the US State Department in some capacity. The US has been wheeling and dealing, signing contracts for onsite health care, food, protection and other needs so Americans can be safe within their compound. There will be a 5000 man armed security force to protect diplomats as they venture out into the bad, bad Iraqi world.

Iraq will have a total of 11 US sites or diplomatic bases and will cost the US taxpayer a mere $3.8 billion per year. Right now, the bill is $40 billion a year, so I guess it is a heck of a bargain! The US State department wants to guide Iraq's bankers, law officials and agricultural development by having a US presence. Already, the anti US forces there like, Moqtada al-Sadr, who are armed have declared war on those US personnel who remain in Iraq. The US embassy there will cost $974 million for a "static" guard force alone and another $1.5 billion for convoys. There will be an embassy in Baghdad, Basra, Irbil and Kirkuk, each with very heavy security forces. Some already call them prisons, while the US government called them, "like college campus' in the desert". Hmmm, they forgot to mention, terrorists. This will be the biggest thing the US State Department has ever done.

Is this a continuation of the war in a non-military manner? Do we need four embassies? Is this just more wasted life and money?

Duh.