President Obama said Friday that the U.S. will withdraw most troops from Iraq by the end of the year, which meant the long war in Iraq and the polarization to an end.
"After almost nine years, the American war in Iraq is over," said Obama.
He said that the last American troops leave the country by January 1 "with their heads high, proud of their success and I know that the American people are united in our support for our troops."
"The transition in Afghanistan is moving forward, and our troops are finally coming home," he added, saying that in the press room of the White House that U.S. troops "Definitely will host holiday."
The Iraq war has meant the death of over 4,400 American soldiers and a price of over $ 700 billion. Asked after the press conference, Obama's attention, if it was worth it, Anthony Blinken, National Security Adviser to Vice President Joe Biden said: "History will judge."
Was Iraq worth the price?
President Obama has declared an end to the war in Iraq. This was worth the human and financial cost?
U.S. and Iraqi officials have spent months debating whether to meet a December 31 deadline for troop withdrawal, created in 2008 due to fears that the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces could lead them to risk. Many U.S. officials wanted to make a few thousand military instructors in the country since the end of the year, but as the Associated Press reported Sunday, "Iraqi leaders have steadfastly refused to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, and the Americans refused to stay without it. "
America has already pulled out of the approximately 100,000 troops in Iraq as part of the power-down, nearly 40,000 "non-combat" troops will remain. Obama said on Friday that "the Iraqis have taken full responsibility for their safety," and said that the relationship between the U.S. and ahead of Iraq is one of the answers.
"It 'a normal relationship between sovereign states, a joint venture partnership based on mutual interest and mutual respect," he said.
Obama discussed the planned announcement earlier in the day with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in insurance videoconferencing. Al-Maliki said, "spoke of the determination of the Iraqi people to shape their own future" and that the two leaders are "strongly agree on the way to go."
Obama said he had invited al-Maliki at the White House in December and promised the United States and Iraq participate in a "strong and lasting partnership."
"As I told the Prime Minister Maliki, we will continue discussions on how we can help train and equip Iraqi forces, again, as we offer training and assistance to the countries of the world," said the president. "After all, there will be some difficult days ahead of Iraq and the United States still has an interest in a stable Iraq, secure and free.
Obama promised to end the Iraq war as a presidential candidate. He spoke passionately against the war in 2002, but later said the U.S. had an "absolute obligation" to stay at home all the time it took to succeed.
Obama said the U.S. will "move in a position of strength" and that the withdrawal of troops "will be a time to reflect on everything we've lived in this war."
"I will join the American people to honor Americans of more than 1 million people who served in Iraq," he said. "We will honor our wounded warriors and patriots nearly 4,500 Americans and their Iraqi and coalition allies who gave their lives in this effort."
Withdrawal from Iraq comes as the majority say the war is going well
Obama throws the end of the war in Iraq in the broader context of a small U.S. military presence in the world. "The tide of the war is declining," he said, pointing to the beginning of a withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan.
"When I took office, about 180,000 soldiers stationed in these wars. And at the end of this year, that number will be halved, "he said." And make no mistake, they will continue to go down. "
Source : http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20123800-503544/obama-announces-end-of-iraq-war-troops-to-return-home-by-year-end/
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