Rus: I am against troop withdrawal until we can arrange an orderly transfer of power. I would use Southeast Asia post-1975 as an example of why a precipitate withdrawal is no bueno.
Also, I am presuming that we wouldn’t need the oil at some point in the future (like 10 – 20+ years down the road), so it is a little like comparing apples to oranges to discuss a short- to mid-term strategy like withdrawing from Iraq versus a long-term strategy like an eventual complete US withdrawal from the region.
Just out of curiosity, what are your wife’s beliefs, geo-politically speaking?
Who advised that you begin drinking and/or smoking ganja? Not that it’s bad advice, just interested where it came from. Preacher? Spouse? Children? Local law enforcement?
