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Benchmarks could come in many different forms. They could be set by increased support for international peace-keeping forces from the UN. They could be set around increased infrastructure improvements, around placing economic structures that reinforce stability. You're only considering the types of benchmarks that would reinforce the current situation.
If it is your belief that there is no internal support for a unified Iraq and that the tensions within that country are so high that there is no chance for peaceful, pluralistic resolution, then your desire for complete withdrawal implies that you wish to see a "lord of the flies" style pogrom as the region degenerates into warlords and factions fighting over the tempting natural resources. I do not share this desire. Before abandoning innocent people to that fate, I'd rather see more creativity applied to the idea of stabilizing the region. In the end, that may mean revisiting the political structures we've already created.
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Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam
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