When the U.S. invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq, I suggested to my father that we would exit within a few years.  He laughed, and said "25 years, at least."

I am beginning to think he was right.  I predict we will have at least 200,000 troops in Iraq / Afghanistan in November, 2012.  We currently have about 120,000 in Iraq, and with the new surge we will have about 100,000 in Afghanistan.