Iraq's "Irritant"?

I haven't spent a lot of time on this blog commenting on the war in Iraq--my position as a nonmilitary person whose greatest worry is what to cook for dinner leaves me precious little moral authority. But on this point, anyway, I'll take a stand.

Much of the media chatter of the past few days has centered around the statements of Democratic Representative John Murtha calling for an immediate pullout of US troops from Iraq.

"It's time to bring them home," said Rep. John Murtha, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, choking back tears during remarks to reporters. "Our military has accomplished its mission and done its duty."

This has been a real shot in the arm for the anti-war community, and has resulted in a renewed call in many corners for the "cut-and-run" approach. Some have even had the audacity to imply that the insurgency will vanish once the United States withdraws:

The United States is the irritant right now in Iraq. The United States is uniting people of all political persuasions in Iraq against the occupation. I think it's time for the troops to come home.

Is there anyone out there who seriously believes this? Do they believe that al-Zarqawi will simply lay down arms once the troops go home, and thereafter respect the authority of the Iraqi government? Perhaps there are such voices, and it is these people that trouble me the most.

Tags: Iraq Withdrawal Cut and Run Murtha