US brings 9 years of fight to an end

After 9 years of Military operations in Iraq, finally US decided to free the place from militants and as a result they lowered US flag in Baghdad. Leon Panetta, the US defense secretary, told troops

the military operations in Iraq cost them blood and dollars. US-Iraq war took almost 4,500 US soldiers and more than 100,000 Iraqis, It cost US more than $1tr.

The US flag has been retired by US forces in Iraq according to typical army style in an official ceremony. According to officials most of the 5,500 remaining soldiers have now left for US, and hand over the security to Iraqi authorities. US president Barack Obama said they left behind a sovereign, steady and self-contained Iraq. President Obama in his speech to just returned troops from Iraq, said that they were leaving with heads held high and they have achieved extraordinary. Everything US militants done in Iraq, dying, bleeding, fighting, training and all the partnering has led US to the moment of success. He also said that the war in Iraq will soon become a history but their services belong to ages. 

According to the president US-Iraq war had been a matter of controversy for years but indeed US helped Iraq to build a stable and self-reliant government elected by Iraqi people. Pullout citing over Iraq’s sovereignty has been criticized by Republicans but simultaneously most Americans are in favour of this act. In addition to those who died 1.5 million Americans served in Iraq since the war began in 2003 and about 30,000 of them have been wounded.

Troops number touched 170,000 in 2007 but as of this week only 5,500 left behind in Iraq. Most of them have already left for Kuwait bases. Now a group of some 200 soldiers will stay in Iraq for advisory purposes and about 15,000 US personnel in US Embassy.