To leave or not to leave Iraq in the lurch?

As President Obama plans to speed up U.S pullout from Iraq before the 2011 exit date put forward by the former American President Bush, to 31 of Agust 2010. Reducing the number of troops stationed in Iraq to around 50.000 to assist the Iraqi Army to take over once the U.S has withdrawn it troops. There are growing concerns internally and externally, that leaving Iraq while there are some major issues which have remained unresolved can be dangerous.

The two main issues are, control over the ethnically divided city of Kirkuk and Iraq’s oil reserves and the distribution of Iraq’s national wealth.

Despite the string of successful elections since 2005, Iraq could explode over Kirkuk and oil if they are not resolved before the U.S troop withdrawal.

The Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani , has urged President Obama to pressure the Iraqi Government into scheduling a referendum on the issue of Kirkuk to create a stable environment for the U.S to leave.The Iraqi Government has failed to announce any date for a referendum on the issue of Kirkuk which remains deeply divided.