Updated: Obama announces Iraq troop pullout by end 2011
US President Barack Obama announced today that he will withdraw all US forces from Iraq by the end of the year, nearly nine years after the US invasion and after more than 4,400 US deaths.
"Today I can report that, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year. After nearly nine years, America's war in Iraq will be over," Obama said at the White House.
Obama made the announcement after holding a video conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, and the failure of talks between the two sides to agree on keeping a small number of troops in Iraq after the end of 2011.
His commitment represented the fulfillment of a central promise of his 2008 election campaign, and comes as Washington seeks to also draw down the size of its garrison in Afghanistan.
The talks broke down because the two sides were unable to agree on granting legal immunity for a small contingent of American troops who would have stayed in place to help train Iraqi forces and to counter the influence of Iran.
Despite the disagreement, Obama said US troops will leave Iraq "with their heads held high, proud of their success."
"The United States is moving forward to a position of strength. The long war in Iraq will come to an end by the end of this year. The transition in Afghanistan is moving forward and our troops are finally coming home," Obama said.
The 39,000 remaining US troops in Iraq must withdraw by the end of the year under an accord between the two countries.
Obama said that he had invited Maliki to visit the White House in December, as the two sides revert to a normal sovereign relationship between two nations.
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Joseph W. Galea
Oct 22nd 2011, 07:01
Good for him for having the courage to get the troops out, something that should have been done at least 2 years ago. If the Iraqis want to have Iran rule them, so be it. If the Iraqis want to keep killing themselves, so be it.
Now he should also get all the troops out of Afghanistan, stop subsidizing Pakistan (who at best are an enemy of the US) and any other monetary benevolence which the US bestows on any foreign country.
Concentrate all the effort in the US and rebuild that country.
Send a warning to terrorists that if they mess around with the US and it is proven which country the attack came from, Nuke it.
Martin Cassar
Oct 21st 2011, 20:27
'Despite the disagreement, Obama said US troops will leave Iraq "with their heads held high, proud of their success.'
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A war that was based on lies and lead to the killing of hundreds of thousand of civilians and displacing millions of people (no immigrants across the globe) and most importantly put the USA and the global economy at the edge of bankruptcy and made us less secured, do you call this a success Mr. Obama? Are the people protesting in Wall Street listening?
R Saliba
Oct 21st 2011, 19:43
Obama : 'After nearly nine years, America's war in Iraq will be over'
Great. Who won?
Martin Cassar
Oct 21st 2011, 20:29
Oil companies and military equipment manufacturing companies are the winners.
J Cassar
Oct 22nd 2011, 12:14
Critics said the US invasion of Iraq was driven by oil, but major US oil companies were largely absent from Iraqi auctions, deals were snapped up instead by Russian and Chinese firms!
Maria Borg
Oct 21st 2011, 19:28
9 years in Iraq is a long time but before leaving Iraq, the USA should be sure that they have found and destroyed all weapons of mass destructions hidden in Iraq otherwise a second invasion would be necessary.
C Galea
Oct 21st 2011, 19:22
Good, a very brave decision. After a good war on terror and after capturing Osama thats the best way to end this part of war against terror .
Malcolm Alden
Oct 21st 2011, 22:40
this is not the end of the war on terror. They are pulling out from Iraq, its a bit different. The war on terror will never end