BAGHDAD – With President Barack Obama set to announce the withdrawal of most U.S. forces from Iraq over the next 18 months, some Iraqis say they fear that such a move could lead to a resurgence of violence.”Terrorists are just waiting for the Americans to leave the country in order to turn things upside down,” said Ibrahim Salman, 55, a Baghdad municipality official.

U.S. soldiers take up position to secure the opening of a water treatment plant in Baghdad's Sadr City on Jan. 21, 2009.

Salman, who lost relatives and friends during the sectarian violence that raged across Iraq during 2005 and 2006, said armed groups could take advantage of the American military pullout to terrorize the country once again.”I am against a hasty evacuation of U.S. troops from Iraq because security is not completely achieved throughout Iraq,” Salman said. “The Iraqi police force and army still need more training, experience, intelligence gathering and sophisticated military equipment.”

Obama’s plan reportedly accounts for further training for Iraqi forces. According to senior administration officials, U.S. Troops will withdrawal slowly over the next 18 months– dropping from the current number of about 142,000 to a residual force of 50,000 that will carry out clean-up and protection operations. These troops also will work closely with the Iraqi military, which is expected to take over all daily combat missions by August 2010, NBC News reports.

‘Responsible and gradual’
Diana Obaedi, a 24-year-old private secretary, said she supported the idea of a “responsible and gradual withdrawal” of American troops. But as someone whose family was displaced by armed groups, she also was concerned that Iraq must be “stable and secure” before the Americans leave.

A barber in his late forties, Sa’ad Yassin, echoed this sentiment.

“Of course, nobody likes his country to be occupied, but I want joint Iraqi and American forces to get rid of the terrorists, criminals, gangs and sleeper cells who are waiting to jump and control the land and people,” Yassin said.

Adel Abdul-Jabbar, a technician in Baghdad, fears there will be a bloodbath after U.S. forces leave.

“Pulling their forces and leaving Iraq to be devoured by Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Turkey? Oh! No!” he said. “No, I am sure al-Qaida and militias will destroy Iraq and Iraqis will be swimming in blood pools.”

‘History repeats itself’
Others expressed disbelief. Abu Ahmed, a retiree, laughed at the notion that the American forces will ever leave Iraq.

“They say ‘history repeats itself,’ I won’t believe the American administration is going to pull its forces out of Iraq. They will stay for decades just like they did in Germany and Japan,” he said.

Still, Amer Qabani, a 33-year-old oil-driller, was optimistic about his country’s future and thinks that Obama is a man of his word.

“He promised in his presidential campaign to responsibly withdraw his troops from Iraq,” said Qabani. “I guess we will have to wait and see. I think Iraqi forces will be ready.”