US ends combat operations in Iraq...Mission Accomplished?...
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untouchable1
Members Posts: 69
The last brigade of US combat has withdrawn from Iraq, bringing combat operation to an end in a war that has lasted more than seven years and claimed the lives of more than 4,000 US troops.
The brigade left the country in the early hours of Thursday morning, two weeks before an August 31 deadline for the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom pledged by Barack Obama on taking office.
Over the course the week soldiers from the 4th Stryker brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, have driven hundreds of vehicles from Camp Victory near Baghdad airport to Camp Virginia in Kuwait.
Their withdrawal brings to an end a controversial and ? operation that began with the American "shock and awe" bombing campaign of Baghdad in March 2003, and saw the US military endure some of the heaviest fighting it had seen for a generation.
Captain Christopher Ophardt, a spokesman for the 4th Stryker Brigade of the 2nd
Infantry Division, said the last of the unit's vehicles will cross the border into Kuwait early on Thursday.
Iraqi concerns
Most of the brigade's 4,000 soldiers have been driving out of Iraq in their armoured Vehicles, with a few hundred members staying behind to finish administrative and logistical duties. They will be flying out of Baghdad later on Thursday.
About 50,000 US troops will remain in the country in an advisory capacity, helping to train Iraqi forces in a new mission codenamed Operation New Dawn, which will run until the end of 2011.
Al Jazeera's Rawya Rageh reporting from Baghdad said many Iraqis are concerned that Iraqi security forces are still lacking in terms of training and equipment, and particularly in intelligence gathering.
"Years of sanctions have made the population politically-savvy and many Iraqis are questioning the timing of the draw down five months after national elections ended in a political vacuum," our correspondent said.
"Many were worried about the possible increase in sectarian violence and the ability of Iraqi security forces to take the lead in the absence of US troops, and don't think this is a good time to be left alone without US military backing."
Al Jazeera's Josh Rushing reporting from the Iraq-Kuwait border said the question now is whether the drawdown, which is being touted as a milestone, will go down in history as the end of the war or the beginning of a period of violence.
"This is not the end of it. In fact, it will be a long military relationship between the United States and Iraq long after all US troops have pulled out of Iraq as scheduled in December next year.
"Iraqi military are using all US equipment and so their security forces will still need US trainers, technicians and links with the US military industrial complex in the years ahead."
Our correspondent said while the western media and history will consider the US war in Iraq a success, most people will be waiting to see what happens in the country in the coming months and years.
Campaign promise
Obama had made ending the Iraq war a central policy of his presidential campaign, and after taking office he immediately announced plans to bring combat troops home by the end of August this year.
He inherited around 144,000 troops in Iraq, 30,000 fewer than the peak levels of 2007, when the Bush administration ordered a so-called surge in an effort to improve Iraq's atrocious security situation.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/08/201081818840122963.html
How does the SL feel about this? is it meaningless?
What was this war for again? What the hell will these "advisors" be doing? What about private contractors?...So many questions...
But I guess it does fulfill Obama's campaign promise.
The brigade left the country in the early hours of Thursday morning, two weeks before an August 31 deadline for the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom pledged by Barack Obama on taking office.
Over the course the week soldiers from the 4th Stryker brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, have driven hundreds of vehicles from Camp Victory near Baghdad airport to Camp Virginia in Kuwait.
Their withdrawal brings to an end a controversial and ? operation that began with the American "shock and awe" bombing campaign of Baghdad in March 2003, and saw the US military endure some of the heaviest fighting it had seen for a generation.
Captain Christopher Ophardt, a spokesman for the 4th Stryker Brigade of the 2nd
Infantry Division, said the last of the unit's vehicles will cross the border into Kuwait early on Thursday.
Iraqi concerns
Most of the brigade's 4,000 soldiers have been driving out of Iraq in their armoured Vehicles, with a few hundred members staying behind to finish administrative and logistical duties. They will be flying out of Baghdad later on Thursday.
About 50,000 US troops will remain in the country in an advisory capacity, helping to train Iraqi forces in a new mission codenamed Operation New Dawn, which will run until the end of 2011.
Al Jazeera's Rawya Rageh reporting from Baghdad said many Iraqis are concerned that Iraqi security forces are still lacking in terms of training and equipment, and particularly in intelligence gathering.
"Years of sanctions have made the population politically-savvy and many Iraqis are questioning the timing of the draw down five months after national elections ended in a political vacuum," our correspondent said.
"Many were worried about the possible increase in sectarian violence and the ability of Iraqi security forces to take the lead in the absence of US troops, and don't think this is a good time to be left alone without US military backing."
Al Jazeera's Josh Rushing reporting from the Iraq-Kuwait border said the question now is whether the drawdown, which is being touted as a milestone, will go down in history as the end of the war or the beginning of a period of violence.
"This is not the end of it. In fact, it will be a long military relationship between the United States and Iraq long after all US troops have pulled out of Iraq as scheduled in December next year.
"Iraqi military are using all US equipment and so their security forces will still need US trainers, technicians and links with the US military industrial complex in the years ahead."
Our correspondent said while the western media and history will consider the US war in Iraq a success, most people will be waiting to see what happens in the country in the coming months and years.
Campaign promise
Obama had made ending the Iraq war a central policy of his presidential campaign, and after taking office he immediately announced plans to bring combat troops home by the end of August this year.
He inherited around 144,000 troops in Iraq, 30,000 fewer than the peak levels of 2007, when the Bush administration ordered a so-called surge in an effort to improve Iraq's atrocious security situation.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/08/201081818840122963.html
How does the SL feel about this? is it meaningless?
What was this war for again? What the hell will these "advisors" be doing? What about private contractors?...So many questions...
But I guess it does fulfill Obama's campaign promise.
Comments
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^^^really dude? you have to derail the convo in the 2nd post?
IMO...chalk it up as another failed anti-insurgency campaign the US has started. Afghanistan will be another. Goes to show how unsuccessful military operations are against insurgents. The US military is using outdated and already failed methods at the cost of young men and women of this country.
This from a vet. -
FieldTripsToTheHoodFieldTripsToTheHood wrote: »^^^really dude? you have to derail the convo in the 2nd post?
IMO...chalk it up as another failed anti-insurgency campaign the US has started. Afghanistan will be another. Goes to show how unsuccessful military operations are against insurgents. The US military is using outdated and already failed methods at the cost of young men and women of this country.
This from a vet.
WHY DO YOU HATE AMERICA? WHY DO YOU WANT OUR SACRIFICES TO BE FOR NOTHING? WHY ARE YOU SO EAGER TO DECLARE DEFEAT? LOG OFF YOU AMERICA HATER -
Have you not been paying attention for the last decade?
Bottomline, I'm a vet. I earned every right to speak on the military. -
FieldTripsToTheHood wrote: »Have you not been paying attention for the last decade?
Bottomline, I'm a vet. I earned every right to speak on the military.
NoBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO COMMIT TREASON! WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON ANYWAYS? OURS OR THE TERRORISTS? TAKE IT FROM A TRUE PATRIOT LIKE ME, YOU NEED TO CHANGE UP YOUR TONE RIGHT NOW! -
Guy....I work for the gov't still. How am I an America hater? I gave my life and career to this country.
Say something else that's stupid now. -
*salutes*
HISTORY WILL VINDICATE YOU MY FRIEND!!!! -
Obama is a ? .
This is stupidity. We are abandoning an ally. We are leaving millions of innocents to the terrorists.
? help us. I believe Iraq has the potential to turn into Afghanistan times ten...the resources of that nation are greater, and the enemies surrounding her are legion.
Please, Lord, forgive this nation for walking away from your children. ? , help the light still shine in that dark land.
To any IRAQI PEOPLE who may be reading this: please don’t think the USA’s exit means the people of America don’t care. In a fit of pique, our nation elected a group of bedwetters who refuse to stand up for ANY nation—including ours. We are working to elect BETTER leadership...please, stay strong in the meantime.
Any thinking person can deduce Obama is a Muslim sympathizer. His support of building a mosque virtually on the 9-11 site is only the latest evidence. His plan is to “bring the war home” to Americans. There will be deaths on both sides as the jihadists move their operations stateside. Instead of taking the conflict to them, his plan is to move it here. IMHO.
^^^^ - real posts from Free Republic lol - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2573225/posts
lmao @ that ? thinkin any Iraqis are readin that fascist-ass website -
FOR FieldTripsToTheHood AND ANY OTHER TERRORIST-LOVERS OUT THERE, SUCK ON THIS:
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WTF is wrong with you dude? I'm not a... .... ......your just too ? dumb to argue. You haven't served a day in your life. What do you honestly know about it.
You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. - Malcolm X -
shootemwon wrote: »FOR FieldTripsToTheHood AND ANY OTHER TERRORIST-LOVERS OUT THERE, SUCK ON THIS:
lol, aw nawww, this dude posted America-Porn
He's ? with you no ? , FieldTripsToTheHood. -
More money back back home perhaps...
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Honestly what more could we do over there? good move lets save a couple dollars I say mission as good as accomplished
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? , gets no complaints from me.
Now if we can get the 100k+ private contractors outta there and the 50k "non-combat" troops, and the 100k troops in Afghan, not to mention the 100+ other countries around the world, I'll be really happy. -
War is big business.
I'm a firm believer that the Commander in Chief should NOT be wearing a $2000 suit and tie. Military decisions should be made by military men/women. -
FieldTripsToTheHood wrote: »I'm a firm believer that the Commander in Chief should NOT be wearing a $2000 suit and tie. Military decisions should be made by military men/women.
Founding Fathers say no. -
That is true they did. Although I don't agree.
Ask any military vet and most likely they will agree with me. Not everyone of them but most.
I understand the check and balances part of it but once wars become political tools, our military becomes ineffective. -
bornnraisedoffCMR wrote: »
? , gets no complaints from me.
Now if we can get the 100k+ private contractors outta there and the 50k "non-combat" troops, and the 100k troops in Afghan, not to mention the 100+ other countries around the world, I'll be really happy.
we aren't leaving afghanistan anytime soon. -
There was nothing to accomplish in the first place.
How can the US and it's allies win when there was no race? -
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The user and all related content has been deleted.
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Your not wrong. I saw that ? firsthand. Forcing successful people out that intend to make it their career is straight up wrong.
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Here's the funny thing about this. If 15, 20 years down the road Iraq is peaceful and has a stable government, it would be quite hard argue that we didn't win. In the short term, I thin it's fair to say that the world is a better place without Saddam Huessin. It is an undeniable fact that Saddam was trying to procure a nuke and other WMD. I think it's better to have Saddam gone as opposed to having to deal with him, Kim Dung Ill, and the Iranians.
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FieldTrips WANTS A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP!!! AMERICA HATER!
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^^^time for your meds bro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpLyZLV4t_I
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