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Baghdad down the American flag marks the completion of military withdrawal
On: Friday 16/12/2011 5:51
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 landing the American flag and raise the Iraqi flag, the final step in the process of withdrawing the U.S. military the full eight years after the invasion of the country. participated in the celebration of the Minister of Defense American Leon Panetta, and the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Gen. Lloyd Austin, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey, the President of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of the Central Region and General James Mattis, in addition to some 160 American soldiers.
The celebration was attended by Chief of Staff, Iraqi Joint Working Babiker Zebari, a spokesman for the Iraqi Defense Ministry, Major General Mohammed al-Askari.
Panetta said in his speech "Iraq was suffering a lot of the things that threatened has overcome them today after a long work between the States and Iraq," noting that "the Iraq mission Now is the management of security as real. "
He 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 the future and prosperity," asserting that "the sacrifices of the United States and the Iraqis was too large to get to this moment. "
The U.S. Secretary of Defense that "the 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 reached to form very good and this is starting 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 relations with Iraq to reach a mutual respect. "
He explained that "the United States would not abandon the 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 to "The United States will never 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 and distribution in Iraq and after the withdrawal process," noting that "they carried out their duties inevitable for them to get to where we are now in Baghdad and the general of Iraq. "
He said Panetta "The United States has secured the country and helped the Iraqi people to end the existence of a dictator to set off Iraq to peace and prosperity for a promising future for his children," noting that "what was there in the days of the war in 2003, when President Bush decided to enter Iraq are acts of violence and other things difficult to enable Iraq to cooperate with the United States to overcome it. " , By the terrorists and people who know the split (...) and the United States will remain at his side. "
For his part, Austin said that the ceremony yesterday, "is a historic event," explaining that the United States, "planted the seeds of democracy in Iraq was a written constitution, Iraqis find echoes to their voices. "
There is still less than four thousand U.S. troops in Iraq, are supposed to withdraw completely from the country by 2012,
and in the same level, said the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad James Jeffrey, during a speech by the way that "Iraq has on the sovereignty and security, and that the States United American will continue its support to Iraq to get to the finish line. "
The U.S. ambassador in Baghdad, thanks to his country's troops who served in Iraq for the last eight years, also praised the role of Iraqi political leaders and security chiefs.
also uncovered the Commission on Security and Defence in the Iraqi Council of Representatives yesterday, for the number of military personnel who Satbakon after the full withdrawal of U.S. military reported 157 people be added to the angel of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, saying that their work will be the coordination of the contracts between Washington and Baghdad.
The MP said Xuan Taha, a member of the Committee that 157 associate member of the U.S. military are remaining in Iraq and has added to the staff of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. "
He said Taha, "The function of these Sttqsr to provide logistical support, and coordination on the contracts between Baghdad and Washington."
Iraq has signed and the United States in 2008, the Framework Agreement strategy to support the ministries and agencies of the Iraqi transition from Strategic Partnership with the Republic of Iraq to the areas of economic, diplomatic, cultural and security, based on the Strategic Framework Agreement and to reduce the number of PRTs in the provinces, as well as providing important sustainable rule of law, including the police development program and the completion of the coordination and supervision and the report of the Fund of Iraq relief and reconstruction.
Under Convention should be to withdraw all U.S. forces from all territories and waters and airspace of Iraq no later than December 31 / December of this year 2011.
with the United States combat forces withdrew from the cities, villages and towns of Iraq under the Convention at the end of June in 2009.
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