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Washington comes down the curtain on the nine-year war
On: Friday 16/12/2011 6:52
□ Baghdad / term
has been completed at Baghdad International Airport yesterday of the closing ceremony for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The ceremony, which included a flag-lowering and raising the American flag one last step in the path of a total U.S. military withdrawal, eight years after the invasion of the country.
He said U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, in his "Iraq was suffering a lot of the things that threatened has overcome them today after a long work between Iraq and the United States," noting that "the Iraq mission now is to manage security as real."
said Panetta that "more than 130 thousand U.S. troops were present here and with their departure in the coming days at the end of this year we will have the fact that Iraq was responsible for security and safety for its future and prosperity, "asserting that" the sacrifices of the United States and the Iraqis were too large to get to this moment. "
The U.S. Secretary of Defense that " Iraqi police are able to respond and to end any threat from al Qaeda and terrorism, "noting that" the Iraqi army was able to reduce the risk of al-Qaeda and the Iraqi economy came to a very good and this is a departure for the better. "
confirmed Panetta told American soldiers that "Access to a stable Iraq, a sovereign are the results of your sacrifice and you have put Iraq in a good phase and a new hand in hand with the people of Iraq," noting that "The United States welcomes the new page of relations with Iraq to reach a mutual respect."
He explained that "the United States will not leave those sacrifices and achievements to anyone trying to end the success of Iraq, "stressing that" this day is for the Iraqis who are looking to secure and prosperous future, not the United States. "
The Minister of Defense that "the United States will not forget the sacrifices of more than a million Americans and an American who served in Iraq, as well as the sacrifices made by their families after deployments in Iraq and the distribution and after the withdrawal process, "noting that" those they carried out their duties inevitable to get to where we are now in Baghdad and throughout Iraq. " He said Panetta "The United States secured the country and helped the Iraqi people to end the presence of a dictator to set off Iraq to peace and prosperity for a promising future for his children," noting that "what was in the days of the war in 2003, when President Bush decided to enter Iraq is a violent and difficult things can Iraq in cooperation with the United States to overcome it, by the terrorists and the people who work on the division and the United States will remain at his side. "
is scheduled to leave about four thousand American soldiers who are still in Iraq over the next few days.
It is also scheduled to remain hundreds of of private contractors and hundreds of American military trainers to train troops and Iraqi security.
U.S. President Barack Obama has delivered a Wednesday speech on the occasion of the end of the Iraq war, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in which he welcomed U.S. forces returning to their country.
He saluted Obama forces served in Iraq, both those who were killed there or who have returned to their country after long service in Iraq. The last batch of American combat troops have left Iraq in August / August 2010.
Obama said in his speech that the U.S. military leave Iraq "raised important," thanking the families of the soldiers "for the contribution of the sacrifice."
This is the first visit by the Obama's base, which holds, by virtue of his position, the position of Supreme Commander of the U.S. armed forces.
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