| Losing would be a huge disaster for many reasons.
In no particular order:
1) Iraq will no doubt be a breeding ground haven for terrorists. If kicked out of Iraq, can you really see America going back in?
2) No one will fear US military intervention anymore.
3) The US will be reluctant to use force even when absolutely required (fearing defeat).
4) No one will believe the US when it promises to back them up.
Basically if the US loses in Iraq now, it'll definately have to fight again in tougher circumstances and with even less support.
If you think about it, the defeat in Somalia encouraged a lot of groups who initially feared America's capabilities that if enough Americans are killed, they will automatically win.
So in essence "would losing in Iraq be disastrous for the US?" was in fact answered at a smaller scale in the form of Somalia. The consequences would be similar in concept but larger in scale. |