Quotable: Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Iraq

Posted By Sam duPont Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 11:49 AM Share

With politicians in Washington increasingly calling for withdrawal from Iraq, it seems a major U.S. presence in Iraq might not be long for this world. But Ryan Crocker, ambassador to Baghdad, offers this contorted, yet scary analogy about the possible effects of a sudden pull-out:

In the States, it's like we're in the last half of the third reel of a three-reel movie, and all we have to do is decide we're done here, and the credits come up, and the lights come on, and we leave the theater and go on to something else. Whereas out here, you're just getting into the first reel of five reels, and as ugly as the first reel has been, the other four and a half are going to be way, way worse.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari adds the following stern warning:

The dangers vary from civil war to dividing the country or maybe to regional wars. In our estimation the danger is huge. Until the Iraqi forces and institutions complete their readiness, there is a responsibility on the U.S. and other countries to stand by the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people to help build up their capabilities.

At least, it should be enough to give one pause.

EXPLORE:MIDDLE EAST, BUSH ADMINISTRATION, IRAQ, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY

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