Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is in Iraq dropping big hints that the Obama Administration wants the Iraqis to request U.S. troops stay in Iraq past the end of 2011, the final exit date announced by both Bush and Obama. A reader suggests:

The shia/kurd/sunni civil war will probably [re]start shortly after America soldiers depart, which would be smack dab in the middle of Obama's re-election campaign.  Obama wants to extend the occupation so he won't be blamed for "losing Iraq" by his Republican opponent.