"Much of the American establishment believe that the United States is conducting a 'civilisation mission' in Iraq. America is ready to suffer losses and will in any case send to Iraq an additional military contingent no matter who will be the president, Bush or Kerry", Naumkin said. He noted that Iraq is an oil bonanza and "leaving the country in the state of chaos, admitting that the American actions in Iraq were wrong, is a political catastrophe for the United States".
His opinion is shared by another Russian expert, Victor Kremenyuk, deputy director of the United States and Canadian Studies Institute, the Russian Academy of Sciences. "The United States will not get out of Iraq even if Bush is not re-elected and Democrats come to power. The United States wants Iraq. Americans may censure Bush for arranging the invasion of Iraq, but America wants Iraq and Iraqi oil", Kremenyuk said.
