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Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 07:50 GMT 08:50 UK

First and foremost the US troops should have left Iraq immediately after toppling Saddam Hussein. What are they still hanging around there for? Isn't it 'oil? Who are they kidding?
Iraqis would be forced to look after themselves without American presence on their soil. Most of Iraqis want the US troops out . Do we want the massacre to go on. No disillusions! Iraqis can 'do' it alone.
Leave them be and get out 'faster than you came'

Virendra, Hobart

Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 06:53 GMT 07:53 UK

Is the U.K. ready to "go it alone"?Just as fatuous a question as this one!

tomcpatrick, nanaimo,canada

Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 04:40 GMT 05:40 UK

"Iraq can definitely 'do' it alone. "


If Iran agrees on anything short of Sharia-based caliphate answering to Tehran.

Mirek Kondracki

Got a news for you, Iranians don't believe in caliphate.

Ali Kazmi, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 04:35 GMT 05:35 UK

Anything is better than Occupation.
While the focus is on Iran, US put much of Iraq's oil under Kurdish control for better access while Turkey has no intention of allowing Kurds to control anything substantial on it's borders.
Promise of admittance to EU is more than US could deliver and Turkey should be smelling the roses by now.
Demographic of Iraq demands a STRONG Man/Woman at the helm, nothing else will do.

Lord Banners, Canada

Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 03:48 GMT 04:48 UK

The US has destroyed all of Iraq's military installations, murdered 1 million civillians and crippiled its economy...

Is Iraq ready to go it alone?

who cares; Israel is safe now...

MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED

Nizam Yagoub

Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 03:41 GMT 04:41 UK

On this most important day for the US: our Independence Day from rule by Great Britan, it is hard not to reflect on recent history and the state of the world.
For better or worse, we released an entire country from the iron fist of a ruthless dictator. Who'd have thought the populace was just as vicious as their leader?
I guess some countries just lack the will and desire to live free of despotic rule. GB for instance.

[chuckm51], Austin,Texas, United States

Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 01:45 GMT 02:45 UK

Vice President Biden does well to talk to the Iraqis about reconciliation it is the one major perhaps even insurmontable problem that threatens the very existence of Iraq as a nation. Too many centuries of distrust and conflict for all parties in Iraq to just kiss and make up. Moreover it is well known in that part of the world that a kiss of peace is often followed by the hand of treachery. Allegiances are tribal not national and blood feuds are generational. Only Saddam held it together.

Cummings, Forth Worth, US

Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 24:26 GMT 01:26 UK

The Americans don't want to admit it and play it all as the defeat of Al Qaida and the reduction of sectarian violence but a bigger problem is looming whether the different ethnic groups trust each other enough to have a country called Iraq. There are indications they may not and each will tear at the carcass of the old Iraq for their own share. The Kurds are in the best position to "go it alone" while the Sunnis get left holding the tail. The Shiites will go with Iran their coreligionists.

Tower of Babble, Winston, US

Added: Saturday, 4 July, 2009, 23:56 GMT 00:56 UK

hasnain sheriff, jakarta, Indonesia 11.33 Sat

You are an absolute fool & have witnessed such utter rubbish for a long time; you most likely blame the US for ALL the violence in one breath then call for a global jihad in the next.

With intellect such as yours we should all be safe for some time yet.....

Frankie4Fingers, Melbourne

Added: Saturday, 4 July, 2009, 23:19 GMT 00:19 UK

How is being on the American payroll going it alone? The Iraqi government is not yet making making sufficient profit from oil revenues to run its own state. The US deliberately destroyed all of Iraq's infrastructure to award US contractors big contracts in the post war phase suppossedly paid for by Iraq's oil profits but actually by US taxpayers. The salaries of the Iraqi army and police are being paid by the US. Iraq is not a selfsufficient independent state but a vassal of US interests.

Masking the Truth, Chatham

Added: Saturday, 4 July, 2009, 23:09 GMT 00:09 UK

Iraq geographically is a strategic country (the way that the Turkey, W. Germany and Greece were during the old days) and on top of that is a bing bonus (the oil) means free hotel. Whoever says that the Americans are leaving... You just say it's baloney!!

Abdol-baqi Abdilmawjood Al-Del...

Added: Saturday, 4 July, 2009, 22:32 GMT 23:32 UK

It was obvious from the very begining that once the businesses are done, there will be no one in Washington willing to lobby for pouring money on Iraq's safety or organised civil society. Obama's election didn't change anything in this matter.

Sandra, rather not say

Added: Saturday, 4 July, 2009, 20:58 GMT 21:58 UK

The resumption of Iraqi national defence responsibilities by Iraqis is a necessary transition which permits the return of American forces to American self-defence issues. Iraqis by this transition will take responsibility for the national defence of Iraq.

Don Miles, Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada

Added: Saturday, 4 July, 2009, 20:20 GMT 21:20 UK

The Iraqis are proud, intelligent and highly competent.They are quite capable of determining their future and ensuring safety, security and economic growth.

What is sad and totally unacceptable is that they have been denied the right to decision-making in the past 6 years.by 'occupiers'.

In 21st century terms, that is a managerial 'lifetime'.And it will take a long time for them to achieve a reversal of all the 'inappropriate' decisions made, and implemented, by foreign powers.

Gina

Added: Saturday, 4 July, 2009, 19:14 GMT 20:14 UK

More than Iraq or Iran my concern is what country will Obama sell out to Russia when he meets with Medvedev. Will it be Georgia? Ukraine? Both? Other? The new "freindly" relations Obama seeks with Russia comes at a price and Russia isn't permitting transit of US forces through its airspace for nothing. I think Obama is ready to ignore the quest for democracy in some former Soviet satelite republics just get to Russia's co-op on Iran and other issues. Iraq is no longer an international issue.

Iraq Old News, Passaic , New Jersey