Wasn't one of the primary reasons Osama bin Laden gave for attacking the United States on 9/11 that we had bases in Saudi Arabia? That he thought we were trying to create a permanent base of military operations in and around holy areas?
And doesn't Iraq have more holy sites for Muslims than Saudi Arabia?
Then why the hell does John McCain think that keeping a military presence in Iraq for 100, 1000 or 10,000 years is going to make us safer from radical Muslim terrorism?
Getting out would make us safer, since it would remove a prime rationale and recruiting factoid for al Qaeda. Announcing to the world we are staying until Kingdom Come simply tell the world that bin Laden is right and so go blow up something in the good ol' USA.
Jeebus.