MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
After nine bloody years US military officially end Iraq war
Defence Secretary Panetta was on hand at the rolling up flag ceremony (Photo AP) The US military officially ended its war in Iraq, rolling up its flag at a low-key ceremony with Defence Secretary Leon Panetta nearly nine bloody years after the invasion that ousted Dictator Saddam Hussein.
“After a lot of blood spilled by Iraqis and Americans, the mission of an Iraq that could govern and secure itself has become real,” Panetta said at the ceremony outside Baghdad's still heavily-fortified airport.
Almost 4,500 US soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis lost their lives in the war that began with a “Shock and Awe” campaign of missiles pounding Baghdad, but descended into sectarian strife and a surge in US troop numbers.
US soldiers rolled up the flag of American forces in Iraq and slipped it into a camouflage-coloured sleeve in a brief ceremony, symbolically ending the most unpopular US military venture since the Vietnam War of the 1960s and 70s.
The remaining 4,000 American troops will withdraw by the end of the year, leaving behind a country still tackling a weakened but stubborn Islamist insurgency, sectarian tensions and political uncertainty.
“Iraq will be tested in the days ahead, by terrorism, by those who would seek to divide, by economic and social issues,” Panetta told the rows of assembled US soldiers and embassy officials at the ceremony. ”Challenges remain, but the United States will be there to stand by the Iraqi people”.
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Read all commentsIt's about freaking time ....
Dec 15th, 2011 - 07:37 pm 01914 .. as a part of World War I ,British Forces invaded south Iraq
Dec 15th, 2011 - 07:59 pm 01917 .. British occupation of Baghdad begins
1920 .. Arabs of southern Iraq starts military actions toward the British,who did not fulfill their promises to leave the area to the locals after the Turks defeated..the British responded military in the beginning,but later realized that it would be impossible control the area
1921 .. established the puppet regime with Saudi Prince Faisal
1922 .. alliance with British signed
1925 .. concessions to search oil are given to British companies
1954 .. USA's interest begins ......up to now ............................
1991
Dec 15th, 2011 - 09:47 pm 0Argentina takes part in the Gulf War
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