 Even as the U.S. downscales its presence and existing bases (e.g.Saudi Arabia), it is not clear that the U.S. presence in Iraq will be anything but de-stabilising because many in the Muslim world resent the "infidel" presence in the Middle East, using this as a means of inciting the disenfranchised in their populations to violence.On the other hand, a stable democracy in Iraq could have a stabilising influence.