Iraq War Is Over

[Wings]

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BREAKING NEWS

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The last U.S. combat troops crossed the border into Kuwait on Thursday morning, bringing to a close the active combat phase of a 7½-year war that overthrew the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein, forever defined the presidency of George W. Bush and left more than 4,400 American service members --and tens of thousands of Iraqis dead.

P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the State Department, told msnbc TV that while the departure is “an historic moment,” he said, it is not the end of the U.S. mission in Iraq.

“We are ending the war ... but we are not ending our work in Iraq,” he said. “We have a long-term commitment to Iraq.”

“We are done with operations,” Lt. Steven DeWitt of San Jose, Calif., said as his vehicle reached Khabari Crossing on the border.

“This was a professional soldier’s job,” he said, describing “a war that has defined this generation of military men and women.

<P itxtvisited="1">“And today it’s over,” he said.

50,000 advisers remain

<BR itxtvisited="1">The timing of the final departure was a closely held secret, and the end came in dramatic fashion two weeks ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline President Barack Obama had set to withdraw combat forces and close Operation Iraqi Freedom, which the U.S.-led multinational coalition began March 20, 2003, in the belief that Hussein possessed an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction that threatened the West.

At one point, the United States had blanketed the country with nearly a quarter-million-strong combat force; by the end of the month, Obama said, about 50,000 U.S. troops will remain in the country, in a non-combat role providing support and training for the Iraqi military.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38744453/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa

[alphahec]

Truly wish that were true, have friends heading over to Iraq this fall!

[Berta]

The Persian Gulf War is not over.

All Iraq and Afganistan veterans fall under all Gulf War regs for "Qualifying chronic disabilities" and the nine new proposed GWV presumptives.

[Quint7]

Yes, now those combat troops can rest for a few months and then off to Afghanistan, Yeman, Somalia etc. I don't believe for one second the war in Iraq is over. What happens when a US base is attacked? Will Non-combat soldiers come out with their hands up? We are going to be in Iraq for 20 years.

Everyone seems to forget that we HAVE BEEN IN IRAQ for 20 years.

I walked off of a C-141 in Saudi Arabia exactly 20 years ago this week (the 16th). Even after we were done fighting and had pulled back to Saudi Arabia there were pilots flying and fighting in the No Fly Zones along with troops in northern Iraq with the Kurds.

Just like 6 months after we got back in 91 everyone just kinda writes off Desert Storm. Yet over 500,000 troops were there and 100,000's of us are suffering from the effects.

I'm hoping that we get everyone out ASAP, but to make this out to be a "end of hostilities" when in reality it is an "end to offensive operations" is pathetic rhetoric.

Also, as far as downsizing, we did that in 91-92 also. By the time I got out in 94 we (USMC) were scrambling to make up for the troops we "downsized out" because they realized we just didn't have enough Marines for all of the missions we had (sound familiar?).

Sorry, bad timing for me. I'm sure that this thread doesn't belong in this area as it's kinda political, but I had to vent.

[Notorious Kelly]

I'd hate to be a non-combat troop in Iraq.

[hedgey]

Okay, let me see if I understand. We officially have no more combat troops in Iraq. Last one crossed the border, and the announcement has been disseminated making it "official".

The announcement specifies that the remaining 50,000 troops are NOT combat troops, but support troops.

So what does that really mean for the boots on the ground in Iraq. Is Iraq still considered a combat zone? Will troops who arrive in Iraq tomorrow not be getting combat service credit in their records?

Have all the bomb & IED makers and insurgent snipers gotten this memo?

[justrluk]

hedgey, I agree. We're still rotating reservists/guardsman/active duty troops through the area. I'm curious to see if there's a change in pay status and incentives/combat zone pay for those going in tomorrow or staying over night...