As American troops prepare to pull out of Iraq the country might be in the best condition in years. Open to the rest of the world after the removal of Saddam Husein, and settling into a post war peace means concerns about cucumbers and parking are growing and violence shrinking.
However, the threat from Iran remains. It might be noted that Iran and Iraq have long been tense neighbors. While some Iraqis may want a continued American presence in the country, it isn't clearly beneficial or necessary. American power in the region should be enough to prevent Iran from provoking any real trouble, and minor problems can be handled by Iraqis. The presence of American troops on the other hand continues to provide fuel to elements that don't like America and don't want to see democracy in Iraq. This fuel makes the country more unstable than it might be otherwise.
During Mullen's walk, Iraqis there were at once wary and friendly, with children and shopkeepers talking to the American soldiers and posing for pictures. One shopkeeper stopped Mullen to complain about parking. Fears of violence just aren’t as much on the minds of Iraqis as they once were, Mullen said later.
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