U.S. Troops Pull Out of Iraq, Leave Uncertain Future [POLL]
U.S. military marks the end of its involvement in Iraq after nearly nine years.
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Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta marked the end of the U.S. military's involvement in the Iraq War Thursday in a ceremony in Baghdad, calling the milestone a "historic moment where we basically enter a new chapter in Iraq," though some local observers wondered what the future would hold for that country as well as for the United States.
"It's ended but I don't know if we solved anything," said James Rebman, a Newtown resident, Navy veteran and Air Force reservist who spent four months in Iraq in addition to tours in Qatar and Afghanistan. "(The Iraqi people) are probably better off but are they stable?"
About 5,500 U.S. troops remained in Iraq Thursday with the drawdown of the military expected to conclude by Dec. 31, according to the American Forces Press Service. When President Barack Obama took office, there were 144,000 troops on the ground, the report said.
"We've paid a great price here," Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said during the ceremony as reported by the Department of Defense. "And it has been a price worth paying."
In the course of nearly nine years, Operation Iraqi Freedom has claimed the lives of 4,409 U.S. troops, which coupled with the casualties incurred during the subsequent initiative named Operation New Dawn, totaled 4,476, as of Dec. 12, and wounded in action 32,000 others, according to Department of Defense figures. The cost of the war stands at about $1 trillion, according to the New York Times.
"Iraqis will be left with a country that is not exactly at war and not exactly at peace," New York Times reporter Tim Arango wrote in his article. "It has improved in many ways since the 2007 troop 'surge,' but it is still a shattered country marred by violence and political dysfunction, a land defined on sectarian lines whose future, for better or worse, is now in the hands of its people."
Rebman, the senior vice commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 308 in Newtown, said he believed it was a mistake to pull out all of the troops, and that the United States should maintain a military base in Iraq just as it does in other countries, such as Korea.
"There should be an American presence there," he said.
U.S. officials had asked Iraqi leaders to allow troops to stay past the negotiated December deadline but were denied, according to the Washington Post, which said a sticking point was a requirement that U.S. troops abide by Iraqi law, a condition American leaders said would not be acceptable.
While U.S. troops will pull out, the embassy will keep 157 military personnel to assist with training Iraqi security forces and the State Department will have thousands of private security contractors still on hand in Iraq, according to the Post.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who recently visited Afghanistan, issued a statement Thursday welcoming the troops home.
"To all of our troops, our veterans and their families, we can't thank you enough for your service and scarifice," he said in the statement. "We hope for your safe and speedy return home."
CT Bike
11:54 pm on Thursday, December 15, 2011
Now lets get our troops out of that other hole known as Afghanistan.
keith
6:14 am on Friday, December 16, 2011
Afghanistan is nothing like a hole. You obviously have never been there and have a "heard on the news" attitude on the entire situation. Regardless, we will always have a presence in that area whether you like it or not. If you like your life as it is, you wont argue that at all.
CT Bike
11:24 pm on Friday, December 16, 2011
You are right Keith, I have never been there. Unfortunately too many of our young men and women who have been there have been maimed or killed.
I understand why we whet there, but why are we still there? Isn't there another way to protect the U.S.A. from threats in Afghanistan without sacrificing the lives of our soldiers?
Jose Ney Morales
8:16 am on Saturday, December 17, 2011
Keith, why is our presence required there? how would our life be without our meddling in middle eastern affairs?
Mike Kelley
12:13 am on Friday, December 16, 2011
Thank you for those who have Served our Country in the past and those Servng today, wherever they may be deployed. Thank you also for those families trying to make do and carry on while your loved ones are serving. A friend deployed, recently wrote in response to what they might need. "Instead of spending your time and money on sending stuff, as we are very well taken care of; spend your time and money on getting people registered to vote. If they cannot even do that, try and get them involved in our Community helping others. Merry Christmas from all of us ".
Kind of makes you think of the commitment they have made for all back home.
yoda
6:27 am on Friday, December 16, 2011
I am so grateful, but what are they coming home too, no job?
MarkA82
9:57 am on Friday, December 16, 2011
Unless theyre leaving the military, they will still be employed and paid by the U.S. Government. We have bases all over the country and the world they can and will be deployed to. And we still have troops on the ground fighting in Afghanistan.
yoda
7:13 am on Sunday, December 18, 2011
I was told border patrol as well.
Rob Gianazza
11:43 am on Friday, December 16, 2011
Operation Iraqi Freedom. Let's review. A dictator who by all accounts mass murdered his own people and repressed the Iraqi people by force. The US, in the name of peace in the Middle East, ousted this dictator and attempted to establish a new government for the Iraqi people. At what point in time do the Iraqi people become responsible for their own destiny? They certainly have the resources (oil) to buy whatever assistance they need. Did we assist them in achieving their freedom? Perhaps, but freedom needs to be earned, it cannot be given. Perhaps this troop withdrawal is long over-due? A sincere thank you to all the men and women that were involved Operation Iraqi Freedom, and to all those who volunteer in the name of our country.
Bob
12:42 pm on Friday, December 16, 2011
Thank you to everyone who has faithfully and tirelessly served our country. You are all American Hero’s and I just wish that every American solider could be home for the holidays. Thank you once again for your service.
Teri
11:31 am on Saturday, December 17, 2011
Freedom has never been free. It is paid for with blood and treasure. Leadership and commitment is what brought us to the superpower status we used to enjoy. This administration does not lead, it panders to it's recycled hippie and lib base. Where will we be when Iran finally gains nuclear capabilities? Where will our ONLY ally in the region Israel be? What about when Putin reclaims his seat as PM? Thank God for the commitment of the military and let's pray for a strong commander in chief as this one is ridiculous.
Sully
2:57 pm on Saturday, December 17, 2011
Draft dodging Dick Cheney would be proud, he still has at least one supporter.
CT Bike
8:57 pm on Saturday, December 17, 2011
Wow Sully, how original, blame (pick one of the following without any supporting facts):
A) Bush
B) Cheney
C) Halliburton
D) Tea Party
You went with B, congratulations, you have shown us you can regurgitate sound bites from moveon.org and MSNBC (I know, that is redundant) and type them into a news blog.
The Democrats had control of the White House and Congress for 2 years, yet we are worse off because of their incompetence and corruption. I bet this is (pick one of the above) fault too.
G
11:53 pm on Saturday, December 17, 2011
CT Bike-
I may be getting old, but if my failing memory serves me correctly, I don't believe Obama sent us into Iraq. Actually, come to think of it, I believe it was both A and B. i.e., Bush and Cheney. I'm pretty sure that's a fact. So Cheney left his coveted position at Halliburton (with a $36 million severance package) to become Bush's VP. Coincidentally, Halliburton was awarded a multi-Billion dollar contract for their services in Iraq, (No other bids were even allowed from any other company). They are also under investigation for overcharging the federal government (i.e., us taxpayers) for hundreds of millions of dollars. These are facts, not made-up BS. Halliburton was also deeply involved is the screw-up with the BP oil gusher in the Gulf. Bush's grandfather, Prescott Bush, was a director at Dresser Industries, now a part of Halliburton. George H.W. Bush worked for Dresser Industries for several years before entering politics. This is a very dangerous company, Do your research.
Perhaps the Tea baggers should also look at how and where their tax dollars are going. Corruption in government and among large company CEO's is totally out of control. The CEO of the United Health Care group, based in Connecticut, makes approximately 1700 times the median wage of the rest of the employees. That is a fact and it is absolutely disgusting, in my opinion.
G
12:09 am on Sunday, December 18, 2011
Here's a fun fact for everyone - regardless of your political views.
If you had 1 trillion dollars to spend, you would have to spend 1 million dollars, every day of the year (including weekends and holidays), for 3,000 years in order to spend it all. And that's what we spent on the Iraq war. Kinda wish we could have some of that back to help our own economy as opposed to searching for those elusive WMD's.
Sully
12:12 am on Sunday, December 18, 2011
So, Dick (Draft Dodger WAR HAWK) says, the "OTHER GUYS" got it wrong". Wrong !
“Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.”
Those were strong words that in the months leading up to the war were echoed by Bush, Powell, Rice and most of the other senior administration officials. It was the thrust of Powell’s presentation before the U.N. Security Council.
Cheney denies he lied. He says the intelligence was “flawed.” He says the CIA and other intelligence agencies got it wrong.
yoda
7:12 am on Sunday, December 18, 2011
This war was in hopes to saving lives and you can’t put a price tag on that!
I believe it's4500 soldiers plus the numbers from 9 11, that have died, had we not gone over - how many more American lives would have died?
john
9:54 am on Sunday, December 18, 2011
Probably fewer. Iraq got us nothing except a headache, dead and maimed soldiers and a big hole in our wallet. Now that we are pulling out, the only thing that we can say with any surity is that Saddam is gone. The Iraqi's are not clearly better off as the political uncertainty may prove to be more dangerous and onerous that the totalitarian calm that existed before. Our troops provided honorable service and went above and beyond what any nation should expect of its services. There is no winning to be had. Sting got it right - "There's no such thing as a winable war - That's a lie we don't believe any more."