U.S. Troops Coming Home
Earlier today, President Barack Obama announced that all troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the year. Obama said, “After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over.”
Over the next two months, tens of thousands of American troops will come home. According to Obama, nearly all troops in Iraq will be able to spend the holidays with their families. The last of the troops will leave January 1, 2012, with their heads held high.
“As a candidate for president, I pledged to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end…after taking office I announced a new strategy that would end our combat mission in Iraq and remove all of our troops by the end of 2011.” Obama, sticking to his promises, ensures that the decision was agreeable between both parties. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who Obama talked to through video conference, agreed with Obama in parting ways.
The United States will continue to have an interest in making sure that Iraq is stable in their civilizations. According to CBS News, the war in Iraq has caused more than 4,400 American deaths and has come at the cost of more than $700 billion.
With slipping numbers for his race for a second run at the white house, this announcement may give him the boost that he needs. With an intense group of GOP candidates, firing at him like an open target lately, the end of this war might be a defining moment for his 2012 presidential campaign.
Obama ended his press conference Friday afternoon saying, “Here at home, the coming months will be another season of homecomings.” Pulling the troops out gives victories to both Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Obama.
With the end of the war in the foreseeable future, it is time to focus on important decisions facing our own country. Obama has been promising a jobs bill that has not yet passed in the senate. It is definitely something to look forward to considering the unemployment rate is still over nine percent.
Just fewer than 40,000 U.S. troops that are still stationed in Iraq, will be able to come home to America safely knowing they did good by this country through thick and thin.
