As the title suggests, a hypothetical situation where the US and the coalition forces withdraw from either or both.

Will withdrawing from them solve any problems? Will the act create new ones? What, if withdrawing is chosen, should we do after to discourage/prevent further acts of terrorism from being effective?

That's not really how I would look at it.

I would more ask the question "What different would happen if we stayed in country 5-10 more years"

For Afghanistan, the answer is nothing. The day after we leave, Afghanistan will be the same if we leave tomorrow, or in 10 years. So we should leave now.

Iraq is a harder answer. If we stay we can possibly make a difference, but if we wish to conduct ourselves like the constitution says we should, we have no business being there.

So for me, I would leave Iraq as well, not because it's the best answer for Iraq, but because it's the best answer for the US.

The US government's job is to do what's right for the US.

The issue will not be settled in Afghanistan and Iraq, it will finally come down to the confrontation between the U.S. and Iran. So the U.S. should get out of Afghanistan, because it’s not the real war anymore. But if the U.S. is going to let Iran become a nuclear power all the other countries, including the Sunni ones, will run to it. The U.S. will have to confront Iran or give up on the Middle East.

As of June 23 Iran has declared a state of war on its northwestern border. equipment units are being massed in the Caspian Sea region against what Tehran claims are US and Israeli forces concentrated on army and air bases in Azerbaijan ready to strike Iran's nuclear facilities.

sources are reportint that in the last few days, Israel has secretly transferred a large number of bomber jets to bases in Azerbaijan, via Georgia, and that American forces are also concentrated in Azerbaijan in preparation and large amounts of weapons and ammunitions are headed from the U.S. to the area.

my plain would be to simply let Israel hit Iran and let the fighting go on a few days while all across the Middle East Iranian followers are making their way back home to fight the great war with Israel, then the U.S. will step in and say they have no other option other than to come to the aid of Israel. the U.S. should have everyone willing to fight across the Middle East trapped in one place.

Withdrawing from either war enitrely would be disastrous.  This is not a war of the old world, the rules have changed.  You don't win by killing your enemy you win by gaining the trust of the people.  In Iraq the situation is not as good as it was once portrayed but I'm confident the Iraqi state will survive.  They have a growing army and police force, a lot of money for the government to invest in nation building, and a people who are tired of the relentless attacks by extremists.  We are pulling out of Iraq, but it's not a full withdrawal, we still will maintain about 60,000 contingency troops there who will do nothing but train the iraqi military and police, and I assume step in if things get extremely out of hand (which I doubt they will.)  Once America stops fighting actively in Iraq the extremists will be attacking only other Iraqis, that will hurt their image with the people.  They can no longer claim they're fighting the imperialist oppressors but will be seen as fighting the government who doing all it can to stabilize the nation.  As long as corruption doesn't proliferate it's way through the Iraqi government we don't have a lot to fear in that situation.

Afghanistan is much worse, people think that's reason we should pull out, I think it's the reason that we should stay for another 20-30 years.  You must think I'm crazy for saying that but the region has never had a solid stable government put in place.  If we achieve that goal then together Iraq and Afghanistan will help go towards changing the landscape of the whole middleeast.  Terrorist forces would be forced to take shelter in either yemen or pakistan were they might thrive for a while (one has to admit to oneself that the terrorist forces are an elusive group who are able to survive through some very tough situations) but Yemen would not tolerate them for very long, they keep an image of friendliness with the US but allow terrorists into their nation because of the fact that they don't have the governmental power to control them.  But Yemen does not want to become the next Iraq and would likely ask for US aid in capturing terrorists (in fact I remember reading that they already have been cracking down with the aid of the US) which would leave pakistan as the terrorist holding pariah of the world, disliked by india, uncooperative with the United states, and festering with radical violence they will either fall into a dark age or accept US assistance.   Or we could just pull out now and let the whole area go to shit and call it another vietnam.  Either way Afghanistan is a big sloppy mess that we all just wish never existed.

this is mainly about china.

who got the 1 st oil contract from iraq? china

who tacitly approved the us invasion of iraq on the un security council? china

who needs oil more than any other country? china

who owns most of the us debts which allows america to run huge deficits? china

I agree with some people that withdrawing from Iraq or Afghanistan would be foolish, at least at this point in time!

Iraq - I always knew the US could win the Iraq war and what do you know they are. Iraq is calming down and is restabalizing. Violence in the country is as low as ever during the war. Iraq's armed forces and police are being equiped and trained and the country is becoming self sufficient. Some would say that makes it the perfect time to pull out, I disagree. Iraq politically is a young democracy and as we are seeing the political side of things the country needs help maintaining its democracy. I think the US should change from a combat role to a training/support role instead of withdrawing entirely keep about 5,000 personel in the country and maintain a small military base. Even if you maintain those troops at the embassy which is big enough to house a small army it would be smart. Also Washington should ensure that Iraq remains greatful to the US and continues to grow as an ally, last thing the US wants is a new Afghanistan (When the US equiped and trained the Taliban after the Soviets invaded) last thing we need is an Iraq/Iran alliance or to some how have to come back and fight the ally we are training. The US needs to maintain a strong relationship with Iraq. That being said the Iraqi's want America out so pulling combat troops out is nescessary but the US could keep troops in the country to train the Iraqi security forces and keep an advisory role. That means the US could keep probubly a couple thousand in the country (If Iraq would approve which I bet they would).

Afghanistan - Unlike Iraq the US and their allies like my country of Canada are not winning the war. This is the real war the US needed to win, Al-Qaeda attacked America from Afghanistan loosing the war would send a strong message to terrorists everywhere that hey "We can win". As we speak Canada is beginning to plan its withdraw for 2011 and the US is considering 2014 as its withdraw date. This is very bad as the Afghan government is starting to get scared they are talking about letting the Taliban back into Government and even Obama himself is talking about possible peace deals with the Taliban. Now some may say well sooner or later a peace deal needs to be made, but look at Pakistan and all their peace deals with the Taliban. The Taliban do not honour their peace deals they maintain peace for a limited time untill they have the upper hand then they attack and betray the Pakistani's. I think the US should be in Afghanistan permenantly like Korea or Japan for example. I think once the Afghan Army and Police are up to 400,000 the goal mark then the US should begin handing over security in the more stable area's. Once said force has surpassed expectations and the US has stabalized the south at least somewhat then the US should begin pulling troops out. But not entirely the US should pull troops back to Kabul and maintain a secure green zone while the Afghan Army fights the Taliban in the south and around the country. But the US should not leave the Afghan Government to the hands of the Taliban untill it is clear that the Taliban can never come back to power. The US should not leave untill the Afghan Police and Army could win a massive civil war which the Taliban would no doubt start the second the last boots come off the ground.

Now I noticed someone brought up Iran and what Nato should do with Iran. So here are my thoughts on a war with Iran.

Iran - I agree with the last poster we should let Israel launch this war. Israel is a powerful ally and while they do make hasty decisions and carry out operations we don't always agree with they still are a very important ally. The US badly want's to enter Iran but we all know the international community might not be as supportive (Russia/China) so let Israel do the dirty work. Once Israel has initiated a war and bombed Iran's nuclear facilities then the US should begin an air campain against all of Iran's air ports and military installations. Bomb them into the stone age. Should the US put boots on the ground?, I don't think they should. The US and Israel should leave Iran's revolutionary Gaurd in turmoil and allow the government to implode. Look at Iraq when they were building weapons of mass destruction Israel and the US blew their facilities to kingdom come and Iraq was never able to recover nuclear capabilities. The US and Israel should do the same to Iran. Hopefully after the attacks moderate Iranians will take notice and they will over throw the current Iranian Government and replace it with something more western friendly. Entering the country could end the US in another 10 year war which would probubly benefit the US in the long term but in the short term it would have devestating effects on the US's military capabilities and moral in the Army.