October 21, 2011 in Nation/World

Obama: Iraq war over, troops coming home

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama today declared an end to the Iraq war, one of the longest and most divisive conflicts in U.S. history, announcing that all American troops would be withdrawn from the country by year’s end.

Obama’s statement put an end to months of wrangling over whether the U.S. would maintain a force in Iraq beyond 2011. He never mentioned the tense and ultimately fruitless negotiations with Iraq over whether to keep several thousand U.S. forces in Iraq as a training force and a hedge against meddling from Iran or other outside forces.

Instead, Obama spoke of a promise kept, a new day for a self-reliant Iraq and a focus on building up the economy at home.

“I can report that, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year,” Obama said. “After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over.”

Obama spoke after a private video conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and he offered assurances that the two leaders agreed on the decision.

The U.S. military presence in Iraq stands at just under 40,000. All U.S. troops are to exit the country in accordance with a deal struck between the countries in 2008 when George W. Bush was president.

Obama, an opponent of the war from the start, took office and accelerated the end of the conflict. In August 2010, he declared the U.S. combat mission over.

“Over the next two months our troops in Iraq, tens of thousands of them, will pack up their gear and board convoys for the journey home,” Obama said. “The last American soldier will cross the border out of Iraq with their heads held high, proud of their success and knowing that the American people stand united in our support for our troops.”

More than 4,400 American military members have been killed since the U.S. and its allies invaded Iraq in March 2003.

Two U.S. officials had told The Associated Press last week that the United States would not keep troops in Iraq past the year-end withdrawal deadline, except for some soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.

In recent months, Washington had been discussing with Iraqi leaders the possibility of several thousand American troops remaining to continue training Iraqi security forces.

Throughout the discussions, Iraqi leaders refused to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, and the Americans refused to stay without that guarantee.

Moreover, Iraq’s leadership has been split on whether it wanted American forces to stay.

When the 2008 agreement requiring all U.S. forces to leave Iraq was passed, many U.S. officials assumed it would inevitably be renegotiated so that Americans could stay longer.

The U.S. said repeatedly this year it would entertain an offer from the Iraqis to have a small force stay behind, and the Iraqis said they would like American military help. But as the year wore on and the number of American troops that Washington was suggesting could stay behind dropped, it became increasingly clear that a U.S. troop presence was not a sure thing.

The issue of legal protection for the Americans was the deal-breaker.

Pulling troops out by the end of this year allows both al-Maliki and Obama to claim victory.

Obama kept a campaign promise to end the war, and al-Maliki will have ended the American presence and restored Iraqi sovereignty.

The president used the war statement to once again turn attention back to the economy, the domestic concern that is expected to determine whether he wins re-election next year.

“After a decade of war the nation that we need to build and the nation that we will build is our own, an America that sees its economic strength restored just as we’ve restored our leadership around the globe.”

52 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

Shadedmuse on October 21 at 10:15 a.m.
Hey George Now you can hang up your banner and wear your flight suit.
Hunterman on October 21 at 10:22 a.m.
George hasn’t been able to leave the US since he had to cancel a trip to Switzerland because of threats to arrest him for war crimes. Same with Cheney and Rumsfeld.
johnclarke on October 21 at 10:28 a.m.
I wonder if Iraqi Dinars will come up in value.
Shadedmuse on October 21 at 10:33 a.m.
George was in Surrey BC yesterday so I guess he did leave the country. and if George was arrested then FAUX Noise would demand that Obama orders an invasion to liberate George.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 21 at 10:34 a.m.
Obama didn’t tell they full truth. He WANTED to leave 40000 troop for security reasons. ie “Status of Forces” Agreement. …This was to keep the gains intact and the Iraqui government safe. Obama was booted out . This is a huge loss.
Of course the Surge won the war. Bush and Petraeus deserve full credit. Obama is such a rookie. He coasted till Maleki booted him. Just a huge denigration of the US President.
He really should leave…no ….run from the Whitehouse in shame. I hope he takes full credit for this disaster…he won’t but the other side of the coin is pretty bad. Big loss.
Now watch for the insability. Our work to stabilze the middle east is mostly ruined. How can such a loss be counted as a victory? It’s not..only happens if you lie and distort for re-election.
ChefGus/ John Olsen on October 21 at 10:35 a.m.
Muqutada Al Sadr… is “just around the corner”… hang on to your flack jackets… john
Dazzeetrader11 on October 21 at 10:43 a.m.
John you’re very correct. Obama’s lost the stability. This is anything BUT a victory. Terrible outcome…remember what happened when we left Viet Nam? Millions slaughtered and the government fell…only to have the communist install totalitarian government within 3 months. And they weren’t fueled by religion…Hate PLUS religious ferver may make this worse. Look for a cleansing.
This will prove to be Obama’s loss. Boy what goofiness by the liberal Dems who apparently have never opened a history book.
Ed Byrnes on October 21 at 10:55 a.m.
“More than 4,400 American military members have been killed since the U.S. and its allies invaded Iraq in March 2003.”
There is a special place in the inferno for Paul Wolfowitz and Donald Rumsfeld, the architects of this travesty. They will be right beside Dean Rusk and Robert MacNamara.
Ed
soccermomsusie on October 21 at 10:59 a.m.
Dazzee, I remember Vietnam well.
The reason we were there was summarized in the “Domino Theory.” If Vietnam fell to the Commies, Communism would spread all across Asia and beyond.
Well, when Vietnam did fall, Communism spread, as predicted.
Japan was immediately threatened by Leninzilla, a giant, bearded clam-like creature. Luckily Mothra kicked its butt. Even so, Japan is now solidly Communist (“Manga”) because we pulled out of Vietnam. And don’t even get me started on Canada.
I can’t believe that Obamatron 2000 is willing to let our troops not die (stay alive) just for his political ambitions! Can you get any lower than that!?!?
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
johnclarke on October 21 at 11:01 a.m.
Omg you wing nuts and “the surge”. This is also known as “reinforcements” or simply giving the Generals what they asked for in the first place. This was the most horribly run invasion in the history of war. Everyone warned the Bush idiots to 1) have enough forces to secure the country 2) Don’t disarm the Iraqi military.
Instead they just do the opposite and a decade later we are picking up the pieces.
If the so called “surge” achieved anything, it was a temporary lull while the Iraqi fighters went underground. This country is ripe for an uprising, again. Blaming this on Obama is about as logical as blaming Gredo for shooting first at Han Solo.
The_Seer on October 21 at 11:13 a.m.
Let the civil war begin. Again. Iraq has NEVER survived as a nation without the bootprint of a despot on the throats of the majority, and that includes the bootprint of U.S. occupiers.
At least once U.S. troops are gone the Iraqi people can finally hold their first truly free elections.
EdByrnes: Have you seen Erroll Morris’ “Fog of War?” McNamara appears to understand the judgement that awaits him. The rest on your list will never approach that level of self-awareness.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 21 at 11:18 a.m.
Obama lost this. Period.
Ed Byrnes on October 21 at 11:24 a.m.
Seer,
I never have seen that one so now it’s on my list, where might one rent it? It probably isn’t mainstream.
The laughs to be had about Dean Rusk are very few and far between, but if you read the late Hunter S. Thompson’s article on Jimmy Carter and his 1974 Law Day Speech at the University of Georgia it may bring you a smile.
As for Rumsfeld, didn’t W give him the Freedom Medal, and wasn’t Wolfowitz put forth to head the World Bank, in the W administration it appears that the rule was “you gotta screw up to move up.”
Ed
johnclarke on October 21 at 11:27 a.m.
I think you lost it Daisy. Probably in the 70’s somewhere. Where is Happy Hour today?
The “surge” is nothing but a weak attempt at revisionist history. Whatever, we are LEAVING and that is the most important thing. Leave Bush to his legacy. Bring our men and woman home.
The_Seer on October 21 at 11:37 a.m.
ed: Netflix has it and you should be able to find it elsewhere since it received the Oscar for best Documentary (long form) in 200?
Shadedmuse on October 21 at 11:38 a.m.
Hawkin, Susie and Daisee have got to be the same person.
johnclarke on October 21 at 11:42 a.m.
sssh don’t use the H word.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 21 at 12:11 p.m.
I wonder where Hawken is now? Good man. He’s missed. Valuable input always. Of course Liberals want to squelch anything they don’t agree with. Fear drives the liberal intolerance.
The_Seer on October 21 at 12:22 p.m.
dazed: Believe me, you’d have gone first if us “liberals” had anything to do with who gets posting privileges. But since you are really Besty Cowles we know that won’t ever happen.
johnclarke on October 21 at 1:11 p.m.
No way Betsy Cowles types that poorly. Unless she is engaging “drunk keyboard” or something
.
bobglaza on October 21 at 1:20 p.m.
please remember
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
Seagraf on October 21 at 1:23 p.m.
I have to laugh when rightwingers accuses liberals of trying to “squelch anythng they don’t agree with”. Check out South Carolina where they are requiring photo ID to vote. Guess who’s most impacted? The young and large city residents many of whom rely on public transportation and don’t need a drivers license. And of course most of them are Democrats. But that doesn’t matter to their “pretty face” governor, a Republican.
South Carolina isn’t the only “bubba” state to consider measures to keep certain identified groups from voting.
Shadedmuse on October 21 at 1:29 p.m.
Drunken Keyboarding is that like water boarding?
The_Seer on October 21 at 1:51 p.m.
jc: It’s her MO, a way to try and throw us off… besides, Betsy was a legacy admission to Yale, same as Boy George and you don’t want to see how he spells.
BTW, when I finally finish my documentary project aobut Otto Zehm I plan on producing a script I wrote nearly a dozen years ago titled “I’m in love with Betsy Cowles.” It’s a coming of age film centered upon a lower income Spokane boy who enters a science fair and meets the young Betsy Cowles. You can guess how it goes from there and also why no major studios granted my treatment the green light.
Oh well, a boy can dream….
jddavis on October 21 at 2:06 p.m.
Seagraf—Is a driver’s license the only form of valid ID accepted in SC? Why would an adult not have a valid ID of some sort?
Good work Obama with sticking to the agreement Bush made back in 2008! Especially when our troops would be subject to prosecution from the Iraqi’s for doing their jobs…
Shadedmuse on October 21 at 2:07 p.m.
What;s a Betsy Cowles? Is she the same person as Hawkin, Daisee and Soccer susie?
I got my ballot and I voted against Cathy’s boy instead of voting for the mayor.
lets make the mayors race a referendum on Cathy mcmorris and the tea-baggers.
jddavis on October 21 at 2:12 p.m.
Seer: “…same as Boy George and you don’t want to see how he spells.
BTW, when I finally finish my documentary project aobut…”
Too funny Seer! Do you have an estimated time-frame of completing your Otto documentary? From what you showed a while ago, I am eager to see the completed project. A worthy and appreciated effort to tell the story and put perspective on a tragic event.
johnclarke on October 21 at 2:19 p.m.
ha ha Jddavis, good job trying to give Bush any credit. You don’t get points for scheduling departure from your own mistake.
jddavis on October 21 at 2:26 p.m.
JC—One could argue the first mistake was made during Gulf War 1 by stopping Allied Forces south of Baghdad, and letting Saddam remain in power. Another mistake was not hitting Saddam hard for violating the conditions of cease-fire…17 times.
It was an agreement made while Bush was in office; like it or not.
johnclarke on October 21 at 2:42 p.m.
And the other side of that strategery (ha) coin - they left Saddam in power for a reason.This is called the “avoiding a protracted land war” approach. Note what happened when Saddam was removed, that’s called a civil war…. and the chances of it happening again are pretty good. For that matter it was a mistake creating the country of Iraq to begin with, as it would have worked better as three ethnic areas. That means we can all blame Churchill for converting the British fleet to oil.
My point is, ….oh I don’t have one. Yay Bush for setting a deadline. He deserves all the credit. There, I gave him credit.
jddavis on October 21 at 2:54 p.m.
JC—Agreed! Can’t help what the Brits did though.
The (im)balance of power in the region was the reason given for stopping short in ‘91. Personally, I think the “Iran Concern” would have been easier to deal with then instead of now.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 21 at 2:59 p.m.
Good call Clarkie. Bush’s plan worked ( finally). We were supposed to stay to guarantee the peace. Obama blew it.
But credit Bush with the eventual success. Surge!
We’ll see how this works out…Once again though, Obama inherited a calm situation. He cannot take credit for anything. Big old grin and all. Don’t be fooled. Bush and Petraeus gave him a gift….and now he’s squandered any hope of stability.
Rookies do that.
empyrius on October 21 at 2:59 p.m.
Well it looks like some of the gang is here having fun.
You are all war criminals! Every citizen that gives material and moral support to the government, the government’s corporate sponsors, and the globe-spanning war machine at their disposal, must all answer!!!
I am making a citizens arrest!
You are all to report to the Hague asap!
Then us Jesusians can get busy preparing our Lord’s blessed nation . . .
pax vobiscum
MikeA on October 21 at 3:17 p.m.
Someone has to clean up the mess of the criminal triumvirate of Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld (who should all be in prison for the rest of their lives for their lies, transgressions and immorality). Obama’s only mistake was in not cutting off both Afghanistan and Iraq as massively failed ‘projects’ earlier.
force_vector on October 21 at 3:43 p.m.
This entire declaration is shady to me. Given that the exit date was determined in 2008, why the “big announcement” today? The only reason the date would have changed is if Obama had received approval from the Iraqis to stay longer, which they obviously denied. So the “as promised” segment to this announcement strikes me as a bit deceitful at best. The inference is “I have kept my promise, because I wasn’t allowed to break it as I had wanted to”.
Diana on October 21 at 3:59 p.m.
Bagger wrote: “Obama inherited a calm situation”.
Tell that to the 4500 Americans who aren’t coming home and the thousands of others who are coming back maimed and ruined.
All because President Cheney is greedy and Little George has daddy issues.
johnclarke on October 21 at 4:01 p.m.
force the sticking point was the smallish American reaction group of like 4k combat soldiers that Iraq wanted to stay. I don’t think our military has a ton of faith in the Iraqi military to hold it together in our absence. The negotiations fell apart thankfully. That leaves contractors for protection of State Department etc. Unfortunately, and I hate to say this - I see ethnic/religious warfare breaking out in short order, since we won’t be around to offset the shia-Iran pressure.
Daisy :) you are obviously at the bar.
force_vector on October 21 at 4:07 p.m.
“Unfortunately, and I hate to say this - I see ethnic/religious warfare breaking out in short order, since we won’t be around to offset the shia-Iran pressure.”
I think you’re right. It was this concern that should have either a.) led to us never going to war with Iraq or b.) go to war, but don’t invest hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives to rebuild as they will simply tear it all down in civil war after our departure.
What a mess. I hope that this serves to remind future Presidents that our military and other national resources are rightly used to defend our freedom. They are wrongly used to rebuild hostile nations.
jddavis on October 21 at 4:09 p.m.
How many troops will remain in the region as a force to counter Iran? Will Saudi Arabia request the U.S. to back them with military presence for strength against Iran? Then there is the Isreal/Iran problem
The WH is saying they are comfortable with the strength of the Iraqi government and military, and is not concerned with Iran’s “influence” regarding Iraq. We shall see.
Shadedmuse on October 21 at 4:49 p.m.
I say Iraq and Iran should be one nation and Northern iraq should be part of Turkey.
JBlim on October 21 at 5:02 p.m.
Thanks for cleaning up the biggest blunder in U.S. history, President Obama. I sure feel a lot safer now that we got rid of all those weapons of mass destruction . . .
force_vector on October 21 at 5:03 p.m.
“I say Iraq and Iran should be one nation and Northern iraq should be part of Turkey.”
I say Iceland should be called Greenland and Greenland should be called Iceland. Finland should be reshaped to look like a fin, cause, well, duh. Furthermore, southern India should be renamed Undia, northern India would be Overia, with the remaining central portion remaining India.
The_Seer on October 21 at 6:05 p.m.
jddavis: I usually don’t like when people answer questions with questons, so I apologize now, but don’t you believe any depiction of Otto’s story would be more complete with the events of the trial included? The people involved determined his most basic right as a human.
I’m going to let it play out.
jddavis on October 21 at 6:26 p.m.
Seer—I do. Your unfinished project you provided access to a while ago was pretty good, and I believe very objective. I understand that you want the trial included and I support that completely. I agree your project would be best served with the trial as a main component, and the project would be incomplete without it.
I guess I liked what you have done already, showing the facts in a manner that was respectful and accurate. The selfish side of me wants the Otto story out where we can understand what happened and to keep it from being moved to a faded memory.
Sorry for getting off topic…
Shadedmuse on October 21 at 6:38 p.m.
The US should leave Bagdad the same way the US left Saigon with everyone piling onto a helicopter on top of the US Embassy as iran enters the city.
Pigrobin on October 21 at 7:14 p.m.
JC and FV, I concur…we are really putting our State Dept. folks in Iraq at high risk without proper protection. My worry is a replay of the Falluja Bridge nightmare.
BlondeSquawker on October 21 at 7:24 p.m.
Poor Dazee. You seem to want as many U.S. soldiers as possible to die in the name of GW. You’re one twisted sister, Daz. In another life, I hope you come back as a peanut.
Shadedmuse on October 21 at 7:30 p.m.
fallujia bridge incident was all private contractor Blackwater they were told to stay out of Fulija, they went in their and got what was comming to them, its like saying stay off Tacoma’s hilltop and if you go up their and get what is comming to you then its your own damn falt you were told to STAY OUT!!!!!!
Pigrobin on October 21 at 7:44 p.m.
Shademuse, you are a piece of work.
misjustice on October 21 at 7:50 p.m.
Mission Accomplished, without benefit of a codpiece; cause BHO doesn’t need one!
greenlibertarian on October 21 at 9:45 p.m.
I guess the Planned Chaos was no longer profitable enough, or the Iraqi’s themselves are taking over that biz.
Will the last Green Beret to helo out of the Green Zone take the US flag out with him?
Thanks in advance.
gopin2012 on October 22 at 6:57 p.m.
Cut and run.
Obummer is a coward that doesn’t have the guts to do what it takes to WIN!
When Herman Cain wins the election he is going to go back into Iraq and finish what Obummer would not.
Job creators ueber alles!