> And even if not, you can probably try selling it to the locals when you are going.

Why would they pay anything? You're leaving so it will be free then and you won't leave sooner if they pay.

You could destroy it instead.

That doesn't work well, at least in this case. From the article, "We're turning over to the Iraqis — mostly either for a small penny or for free — the infrastructure that we built in Iraq. But we won't see back any money from that infrastructure."