NO RETURN

U.S. Not Going Back to Iraq

Biden speaking with sectarian leaders.

The last troops are home from Iraq, and they’re not going back, even if the unrest descends into civil war. After the recent bombings and Maliki’s accusation that Sunni vice President ran a death squad, Vice President Biden and other officials have been calling Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the Sunni leadership, and the Kurdish leadership and urging them to resolve their differences peacefully. But that’s as far as U.S. intervention will go, officials say. Pulling out of Iraq fulfilled one of Obama’s campaign promises, but it could become a liability if it collapses into civil war and the U.S. has no leverage to stop it. Sen. John McCain has already begun to jab the president over the violence following the withdraw.