The flag of American forces in Iraq has been lowered in Baghdad, bringing nearly nine years of US military operations in Iraq to a formal end.
The US Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta, told troops the mission had been worth the cost in blood and dollars.
He said the years of war in Iraq had yielded to an era of opportunity in which the US was a committed partner.
Only about 4,000 US soldiers now remain in Iraq, but they are due to leave in the next two weeks.
At the peak of the operation, US forces there numbered 170,000.
The symbolic ceremony in Baghdad officially "cased" (retired) the US forces flag, according to army tradition.For 40 years, Iraq has been one of the most damaged countries on earth.
The American-led invasion and overthrow of Saddam led to a savage civil war which is still not finished.
The United States leaves behind a country embittered by the occupation.
And yet today, as the Americans pull down their flag and leave, some Iraqis hope that their country's luck may be turning.
If Iraq becomes wealthy, if it can stay more or less democratic, if it can finally bring terrorism to an end, then the 40 years of horror may be over.
Its people deserve a little good luck at last.
Read John Simpson's analysis in full
It will now be taken back to the USA.
Mr Panetta told US soldiers they could leave Iraq with great pride.
"After a lot of blood spilled by Iraqis and Americans, the mission of an Iraq that could govern and secure itself has become real," he said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16192105
Nine years on....
Nine years on....
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
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Sue U
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Re: Nine years on....
Wait, what? Wasn't our "mission accomplished" back on May 1, 2003?
(Oh, BTW, how many mercenaries uh, contractors are we leaving behind?)
(Oh, BTW, how many mercenaries uh, contractors are we leaving behind?)
GAH!
Re: Nine years on....
I believe the mission that was accomplished was the overthrow of the Saddam regime.
Based on "intelligence" we had at the time, the Iraqi people were more or less prepared to begin the process of peaceful self-governance.
We did not understand a culture in which one expresses political disagreement by killing people and, even more grotesquely, by killing oneself in a manner calculated to kill as many of those with whom you disagree as possible.
Certainly, the US has expended as much blood and treasure as any sane person could expect under the circumstances.
The impolitic but best thing to do now would be to send a public message to the Iraqi government that we have done everything we intend to do in their behalf and they are, for now and forever, on their own. Because as surely as I'm sitting here wasting my employer's valuable time, Iraq will shortly devolve into deadly chaos, and will look to the U.S. to bail them out once again.
I hope we have the fortitude to tell them to go fuck themselves.
Based on "intelligence" we had at the time, the Iraqi people were more or less prepared to begin the process of peaceful self-governance.
We did not understand a culture in which one expresses political disagreement by killing people and, even more grotesquely, by killing oneself in a manner calculated to kill as many of those with whom you disagree as possible.
Certainly, the US has expended as much blood and treasure as any sane person could expect under the circumstances.
The impolitic but best thing to do now would be to send a public message to the Iraqi government that we have done everything we intend to do in their behalf and they are, for now and forever, on their own. Because as surely as I'm sitting here wasting my employer's valuable time, Iraq will shortly devolve into deadly chaos, and will look to the U.S. to bail them out once again.
I hope we have the fortitude to tell them to go fuck themselves.
Re: Nine years on....
The Kurdish areas are remarkably well-governed and not very violent compared to the rest of the country. I have hope that they will continue to prosper after we leave.
The rest of the country didn't want us there, were not grateful that we overthrew Saddam, and hated us only slightly less than Saddam. The depth of hatred between Sunni And Shiia, the centrality of tribalism, the easy acceptance of corruption give me little hope that the southern 3/4ths of the country will do anything other than fall into another 'strongman' rule or continuous civil war.
The US invasion was a historically stupid act. Our sacrifice was for very little. It only proves that one should never try to intervene on behalf of a people who have shown zero interest in fighting and sacrificing for their own freedom (to distinguish them from Libya, for example).
yrs,
rubato
The rest of the country didn't want us there, were not grateful that we overthrew Saddam, and hated us only slightly less than Saddam. The depth of hatred between Sunni And Shiia, the centrality of tribalism, the easy acceptance of corruption give me little hope that the southern 3/4ths of the country will do anything other than fall into another 'strongman' rule or continuous civil war.
The US invasion was a historically stupid act. Our sacrifice was for very little. It only proves that one should never try to intervene on behalf of a people who have shown zero interest in fighting and sacrificing for their own freedom (to distinguish them from Libya, for example).
yrs,
rubato
Re: Nine years on....
None unless they want to be governed by Iraqi law.Sue U wrote:Wait, what? Wasn't our "mission accomplished" back on May 1, 2003?
(Oh, BTW, how many mercenaries uh, contractors are we leaving behind?)
Okay... There's all kinds of things wrong with what you just said.
Re: Nine years on....
Don't worry, Dick Cheney's Halliburton cronies well understand the law of 'baksheesh'.Crackpot wrote:"...
None unless they want to be governed by Iraqi law.
yrs,
rubato
Re: Nine years on....
Not quite, Alpha Dog is still there, and he says there's about 2,000; a small maintenance and construction force and some security. They could be there another six months, give or take.None unless they want to be governed by Iraqi law.
