I know what you mean, but the problems would merely change, not go away.

Of course you know this, Tom, hence your own post.

Returning our troops to the homeland will only result in returning our troops to the homeland, while the Iraqi civilization would have been deserted, left to collapse in a state of civil war, with the Middle East choosing up about six different sides, some (or all) with WMD capabilities, and likely slicing Iraq into six new regional, albeit oppressed, provinces for their already heavily prejudiced nations.

Not necessarily a bad thing in the long run, but definitely far worse than the situation we face today.

Dan