Reply #90: It sounds like a pretty weak and conditional statement by Gates

[Proud Liberal Dem]

Could be a trial balloon? Or Gates could just be proffering his personal opinion, which is more what it sounds like. I'm not exactly sure why an extended military commitment would be desirable and I'm not aware of President Obama or really anybody in Congress lobbying for an extended presence there. Given that we shouldn't have been there in the first place, there is REALLY no reason to keep a presence there, particularly if the Iraqis want us out. It's not as though we would ever be too far away to offer aid if needed either.