The story

U.S. troops should stay in Iraq to keep ethnic violence from spiraling out of control, but they shouldn't stay too long, according to a panel of Iraqi youth convened by CNN.

"Leave, but not now," said Mohamed Ibrahim, a 22-year-old medical student who lives in Baghdad.

"If American soldiers leave Iraq now it will be more, more dangerous for us," said Karrar Sabih, 21, a fellow medical student. One of his three brothers was killed by insurgents south of Baghdad in 2004.

These are opinions one hears often in Iraq. Many Iraqis are uncomfortable with foreign troops on their soil but aware that without them the country could descend deeper into sectarian warfare.

Mohamed and Karrar were joined in this CNN-sponsored roundtable discussion by three other young Iraqis -- Woroud Abdul Kareem, her brother Ali Abdul Kareem and Mais Abdulla. The group ranged in age from 14 to 24 and included a ninth-grader, a police academy cadet, a lawyer and two medical students. Learn more about the participants Read full article »

CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.

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