New US President would face a ruined presidency if he or she tried to make good on a promise to immediately withdraw American troops from Iraq

Kevin Drum comments on Brookes' piece in the NYTimes, here

"... There would be private but powerful opposition from Arab leaders, who would fear a return to 2006 chaos. There would be irate opposition from important sections of the military, who would feel that the U.S. was squandering the gains of the previous year. A Democratic president with few military credentials would confront outraged and highly photogenic colonels screaming betrayal...."