Who will go first - will the USA leave Iraq before Mugabe steps down as president?

"For all intents and purposes the USA has lost the war in Iraq" ?!?!

Maybe by your intents and purposes! Saddam was removed from power for breaking the cease fire agreement he had with the USA and UN and the Iraqi people participated in democracy by voting and the rape/torture rooms are now illegal and closed.

By your definition of lose we've also lost the war on poverty, the war on drugs and the war on crime.

I know that there are still terrorists in Iraq, but there are terrorists all around the world.

well, the "mission accomplished" statement was announced. but nevertheless the iraqi situation is a severe mess.
that is a big problem, which is as well caused by arrogant American leaders, their shortsighted strategy and their greed for oil and political influence. in fact, a civil war is going on there and the authorities (read: americans but also the international humanity organizations) have no ideas how to solve the situation - they tend to capitulate to this situation.
if you look at it this way you may say they have lost the war. but if you mean their intents and purposes was to get the US defense industry running and putting oil fields under US control - than they might have even reached some of their goals besides removing saddam.

so, just don't start arguing about that For all intents and purposes - i think the question as such is clear, unambiguous and able to be settled.

I was going to rebut, but then figured...what's the use. I am curious, however, as to just what is meant by "psuedo-militia." (In the settlement details) Perhaps this is inspiration for a new market: Does yoga worship the N.Y.Times?

The war was won in the first couple of weeks, but the occupation hasn't gone so well.

I have edited this question to make it easier to settle objectively. Please note amended title and settlement details.

Lesley.

I agree with f_o_f... and the "mission accomplished" statement was completely acurate. You don't hear about the Iraqi army facing off against our allies over there - that is why we don't hear about "shock and awe" strategy, the need for air superiority, and so forth. We shouldn't even have to explain this, but the fact is that some people want to lose so bad that they haven't figured out the war is already over!

Owl is right. With men like we have in our military, success was the only outcome possible!

Here is a cool video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsuNFfdbvW8

God bless the USA and our men in uniform :-)

Will this require a withdrawal of -all- US troops in Iraq, or just "combat troops"?

This might be an interesting wager except fthat the second option requires that the US acknowledge defeat in Iraq. That is simply not the case and it would make no sense for the government to ever say it was. Leave that to the less informed bloggers out there.

The question would make sense if it asked which of these would happen first: (1) Mugabe resigns or is otherwise removed from office or (2) all US troops leave Iraq.