Reply #5: in your scenario:

[yolatengo]

"WTF are we doing there? The U.S. can't protect U.N. representatives, let's bend Bush's will to internationalalize the peace-keeping efforts or get the hell out."

The Terrorists benefit. If the UN bugs out, then they start bombing infrastructure
and the Brits mostly, with continued low level crap against Americans, they think
eventually the Brits, then the US public will get tired of it and go home, leaving
a power vacuum for their fundie theocracy. If we bug out, are we going to support
a democracy there or are we going to support a dictator (Saddam II who will be
in the Tripartate Of Evil in about 2011, the year before Jeb's reelection) or are
we going to let Iraq become Iran with a 3 faction civil war?

The GOP is ideologically rigid enough to NEVER leave without Total Victory.
We either get Perpetual War (to keep us scared, voting GOP) or Scorched
Earth ("the only thing missing from Vietnam for Victory was exterminating
every last 'guerilla'!"). Their peabrains and hopeless macho ego will never
accept leaving with our tails between their legs. And if The Public says
ENOUGH and (tries to) vote them out, Diebold will put a stop to THAT
nonsense. To allow it would be to invite Dem Senate Inquiries and Dem
House subpoenas. They can basically NEVER give up power. 'Course,
they COULD because even if they did, the Pink Tutus would probably
call for one closed hearing on the whole thing and let it go because it
would be 'devisive'.

Bigby