Just in time to make U.S. President Barack Obama’s deadline of August 31, the “last combat brigade” of American soldiers has left Iraq – seven years after the American-led offensive against Saddam Hussein’s regime first began.
Of course the withdrawal of the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Iraqi soil doesn’t mean that the world’s “superpower” is leaving the theater. More than 50,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq – and they’ll be seeing plenty of combat activity.
In fact, this whole “last combat brigade” designation is really nothing more than semantics, an effort by Obama to mollify his left flank as he ramps up the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan.
Nearly 4,500 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq over the last seven years, although casualties have declined in recent years as the nation shifts its manpower and military emphasis to fight the Taliban.
By Old Bike Dude August 20, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Did they ever find those WMDs? Those darn tricky Iraqis.
By defecting immediately August 21, 2010 at 11:21 am
The South Carolina National Guard 1-151st Attack Battalion is currently preparing for a deployment to Iraq slated for September 2011!!! An entire year from now!!!! I ask you, if the “combat is over” in Iraq, why are they sending an aviation ATTACK battalion in a year from now? Those are apaches, people. They don’t transport. They don’t scout. The gov doesn’t send $33 million apaches to Iraq unless there is a reason. A need for rockets and machine guns and hellfire missiles. My husband just returned from Iraq in April with the NC apache unit. Their base was rocketed almost daily by insurgents. There is still combat going on in Iraq. The only difference is now the soldiers aren’t even receiving combat pay.
By GDI August 21, 2010 at 11:55 am
They found Sadam when he was hiding in a hole, but no wmd. Why can’t they find Bin Laden? Heck, if we can’t, let the Mossad find him. Something tells me that we probably could get him, if we wanted to. I’m guessing that it’s been decided that a dead and martyred Bin Laden would generate calls for a jihad and cause more trouble than a live but sick one hiding out somewhere.
By Scott August 22, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Word is the WMD’s were exported to neighboring countries. One can never be sure what is truth and what is fiction when our own media is disinterested and Govt wishes to deceive.
By Mark LaSalle August 25, 2010 at 3:00 pm
[quote]
defecting immediately says
“The only difference is now the soldiers aren’t even receiving combat pay.”
{/quote]
Do you have written proof of that situation and any circumstances behind it?
If so, raise the issue with the unit chain of command, and if it’s true, then take it to the press.
By Matinde December 8, 2011 at 12:29 am
THE NEWS IS NEVER GOOD NEWS FOR IRAQI POPULATION