U.S. formally ends combat operations in Iraq
MSNBC reports: Iraq's prime minister said the country had won sovereignty and stood as an equal to the United States after the U.S. military formally ended combat operations otoday, despite political deadlock and violence.
U.S. troop numbers were cut to 50,000 in advance of the Aug. 31 milestone as President Barack Obama seeks to fulfil a promise to end the war launched by his predecessor George W. Bush.
The six remaining U.S. military brigades will turn their focus to training and advising Iraqi police and troops as Iraq takes responsibility for its own destiny ahead of a full withdrawal of U.S. forces by the end of next year.
"Iraq today is sovereign and independent," Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told Iraqis in a televised address to mark the U.S. forces' shift to assisting rather than leading the fight against a Sunni Islamist insurgency and Shiite militia.
"With the execution of the troop pullout, our relations with the United States have entered a new stage between two equal, sovereign countries."
Obama promised war-weary U.S. voters he would extricate the United States from the war, launched by Bush with the stated aim of destroying Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.
No such weapons were found. Almost a trillion dollars have been spent and more than 4,400 U.S. soldiers and over 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed since the 2003 invasion.
U.S. troop numbers were cut to 50,000 in advance of the Aug. 31 milestone as President Barack Obama seeks to fulfil a promise to end the war launched by his predecessor George W. Bush.The six remaining U.S. military brigades will turn their focus to training and advising Iraqi police and troops as Iraq takes responsibility for its own destiny ahead of a full withdrawal of U.S. forces by the end of next year.
"Iraq today is sovereign and independent," Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told Iraqis in a televised address to mark the U.S. forces' shift to assisting rather than leading the fight against a Sunni Islamist insurgency and Shiite militia.
"With the execution of the troop pullout, our relations with the United States have entered a new stage between two equal, sovereign countries."
Obama promised war-weary U.S. voters he would extricate the United States from the war, launched by Bush with the stated aim of destroying Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.
No such weapons were found. Almost a trillion dollars have been spent and more than 4,400 U.S. soldiers and over 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed since the 2003 invasion.
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