US Troops To Leave Iraq By End of Year

mayberry42 writes with news that President Obama has announced an end to the U.S. military engagement in Iraq. All U.S. soldiers will leave Iraq by the end of the year. "Mr. Obama said that as of Jan. 1, 2012, the United States and Iraq would begin 'a normal relationship between two sovereign nations, and equal partnership based on mutual interest and mutual respect.' In a videoconference on Friday morning with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Mr. Obama told him of the administration’s decision, which grows out of an inability of the United States and Iraq to come to an agreement on leaving a few thousand military trainers in the country. The United States had earlier agreed to exit Iraq by the end of the year and leave 3,000 to 5,000 troops in Iraq as trainers, with some members of Congress advocating the retention of a reduced fighting force as well. But Pentagon lawyers insisted that the Iraqi Parliament grant immunity from legal prosecution to the troops if they were to remain."

Comments

Re:5000 soldiers

[mrquagmire]

There will be 5,500 mercenaries and 17,000 "individuals," working for the embassy. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/02/5500-mercs-to-protect-u-s-fortresses-in-iraq/

A funny picture is worth 1000 Bush jokes

[Spafticus]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/718/e901619124c2411380500fc.jpg/

Re:There are a million normal news sites...

[Jeng]

This site is not really about the news stories, it is about the comments.

You can read about the news on a million different websites, but you can only get the nerds perspective here.

Re:Unmanned drones are not soldiers

[newcastlejon]

Those detainees have to go somewhere

How about a courtroom?