>>Are you asking if we are going to maintain a permanent presence there? I don't think that is planned but I'm not privy to that kind of info.
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>Yep, that's what I was asking. And I read that your expectation is not. I understand that none of *us* knows official 'plans' but I think we both agree that nothing has been stated that leads us to believe there will be an on-going U.S. military presence after "withdrawl".
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President Bush has stated that he expects the timing of U.S. withdrawal to be a decision his successor makes. That was REAL encouraging, seeing that is 2.5 years from now. If it does take that long this will be one of the longest military engagements in U.S. history. (And for what?)