[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Last U.S. Combat Brigade Leaves Iraq

by NPR Staff and Wires


Maya Alleruzzo/AP U.S. Army Sgt. Jason Thompson (left) and Lt. Col. Nate Flegler wave to one of the last Stryker armored vehicles to leave Iraq as it crosses the border into Kuwait at the Khabari border crossing.

August 19, 2010
The U.S. military presence in Iraq took a symbolic turn Thursday as the last full Army combat brigade left the country, ahead of President Obama's end-of-the-month deadline for ending combat operations.
Seven years and five months after the U.S.-led invasion, the convoy of combat troops from the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division lumbered across the Iraq-Kuwait border before dawn, with a few hundred members staying behind to wrap up administrative and logistical duties. They will fly out of Baghdad later Thursday.


August 19, 2010



The departure doesn't mark the end of the U.S. military presence, however: About 50,000 troops will remain in Iraq through the end of next year. The troops are officially there in an advisory role, but will carry weapons to defend themselves and will join Iraqi troops on missions if requested.
"Part of our mission will be to continue to train, coordinate, advise and assist" Iraqi forces, Army Maj. Gen. Stephen Lanza said Thursday on CBS' The Early Show.
American combat operations officially end on Aug. 31, and all U.S. forces must exit Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011.
Marine Reserve Capt. Peter Brooks, who served two tours in Iraq from 2007-'09, told NPR that many veterans of the long and often frustrating conflict feel a "quiet pride" that their mission has been accomplished and that Iraqi forces "by and large are ready to take over the security role.
"It feels good that we left our partners and allies who were ready and capable to take over. It's nice to know too that the last Americans to leave Iraq won't be fleeing on a helicopter from the roof of the embassy," Brooks said, referring to the chaotic final days of the U.S. military presence in Vietnam.


Maya Alleruzzo/AP A column of Stryker armored vehicles carrying troops with the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division crosses the border from Iraq into Kuwait on Wednesday.


But he acknowledged that the U.S. death toll in Iraq — at least 4,415 by Pentagon count as of Wednesday — may not yet be final.
"'Combat operations' is sort of a relative term," he said. "I think some troops who remain after this date are going to see things that look kind of like combat."
An Overland Exit
When 18-year-old Spc. Luke Dill first rolled into Iraq as part of the U.S. invasion, his Humvee was so vulnerable to bombs that the troops lined its floor with flak jackets.
Now 25 and a staff sergeant after two tours of duty, he rode out of Iraq this week in a Stryker, an eight-wheeled behemoth encrusted with armor and add-ons to ward off grenades and other projectiles.
"It's something I'm going to be proud of for the rest of my life — the fact that I came in on the initial push and now I'm leaving with the last of the combat units," he said.
The 4th Stryker brigade, based in Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state and named for the vehicle that delivers troops into and out of battle, lost 34 members in Iraq. It was at the forefront of many of the fiercest battles, including operations in eastern Baghdad and Diyala province, an epicenter of the insurgency, during "the surge" of 2007.
The brigade's leadership volunteered to have half of its 4,000 soldiers depart overland instead of taking the traditional flight out, a decision that allowed the unit to keep 360 Strykers in the country for an extra three weeks. The remainder of the brigade flew out with the last of the troops slated to leave later Thursday.
U.S. commanders say it was the brigade's idea to drive out, not an order from on high. The intent was to keep additional firepower handy through the "period of angst" that followed Iraq's inconclusive March 7 election, said brigade chief, Col. John Norris.
It took months of preparation to move the troops and armor across more than 300 miles of desert highway through potentially hostile territory.
"This is powerful. This is exciting for me. As a commander, this means that all of my soldiers are safely inside of Kuwait and getting ready to redeploy back to their families," Norris told The Associated Press.
Once out of Iraq, there was still work to be done. Vehicles had to be stripped of ammunition and spare tires, and eventually washed and packed for shipment home.
Political Situation 'Back To Square One'
Meanwhile, in the north, insurgents kept up a relentless campaign against the country's institutions and security forces, killing five Iraqi government employees in roadside bombings and other attacks Wednesday.
The violence — coming a day after a suicide bomber killed 61 Iraqi army recruits in central Baghdad — underscores the difficult path still ahead for Iraqis to create a functioning, stable society as the U.S. presence fades away.
Five months after national elections, squabbling political parties in Iraq are still at loggerheads over the formation of the country's next government.
The various factions held talks last week on a possible power-sharing deal, raising hopes and creating "a feeling that things are heading in the right direction," departing U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill told NPR. But those hopes were quickly dashed when negotiations crumbled.
"In a lot of respects, we are back to square one," said Anthony Shadid, a Baghdad-based correspondent for The New York Times. "The landscape looks a lot like it did back in March after the election."
Shadid told NPR that "there's a very deep vein of disenchantment on the part of the public toward this paralysis, toward this deadlock and a lot of anger over what people see as collapsing services — no electricity, no water."
"We may be waiting weeks or even months before there is a government here," he said.
That uncertainty has fueled fears that the leadership vacuum leaves the country vulnerable to a renewal of sectarian violence that nearly brought it to the brink of civil war four years ago.
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told MSNBC on Wednesday that he didn't think it was the end of violence in Iraq.
"We're still in a transition," he said. "At this point, as you're seeing the pictures of the last combat forces leaving Iraq — but as you said, there are 50,000 troops behind — they will still have a capability. They will still be working directly with Iraqi forces."

 

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

this is a truly blessed and happy morning for me..

so much of my life has been caught up in the anti-war movement, so much of my life changed when US invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq, and when the evils of the past found there way into my own generation's experience..

While it is by no means over, and in many respects this indeed a superficial and media oriented show, truly it is a good day, as 70,000 active combat troops leaving a war zone they have terrorized for nearly eight years is a MIRACLE! The problem, there are 50,000 more

plus, experience tells us that these 50,000 will perhaps be even MORE active on patrols and forward operations in tandom with iraqi forces, and so the war is by no means over, in some respects it is barely starting up, but I take my small victories when and where i can, and it is so fucking relieving to be able to say those words out loud, "The final combat brigade left Iraq this morning"

 

 

 

[Rob Instigator]

there have been around 30,000 troops stationed along the Korean DMZ.

There will likely be around that many stationed at our bases in Iraq, at least until Iraq runs out of oil.

[space]

I seem to recall another police action where US troops were in-country strictly under an advisory position. advising with guns.

really, is anyone fooled by this???

maybe yr right though, suchfriends; maybe I'm just a cynical cunt and should take joy where possible. then again, maybe I'm cynical because war machines rarely ever shut-down.

[!@#$%!]

it's pretty good news.

still 50K non-combat troops remain stationed but let's hope iraq can get their shit together after we rebuild what we smashed. of course you can't resurrect people but infrastructure keeps people alive--water, sewage, electricity...

anyway yeah. good news.

of course those "free" troops will now be going to afghanistan. ayayay...

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by space

I seem to recall another police action where US troops were in-country strictly under an advisory position. advising with guns.

really, is anyone fooled by this???

maybe yr right though, suchfriends; maybe I'm just a cynical cunt and should take joy where possible. then again, maybe I'm cynical because war machines rarely ever shut-down.

its not that we are fooled.. of course the war is not by anymeans over, and of course this is all just jerry-rigging for politics and media coverage BUT regardless of all the baggage, 70,000 military forces will NOT be in Iraq, and at the least, we are changing our collective tone as a society, now we can begin to talk about ending and winding down, rather then escalating and hopeless, never-ending war.

The US fought war in Vietnam and Cambodia for a decade before they openly declared war, and for 3 years after their initial combat troop withdrawl BUT.. lets still remember to count our blessings and our victories for peace where ever we can find them.

That 70,000 troops are leaving is a sign that 70,000 more aren't coming in, and that the remaining 50,000 will have to re-evaluate the situation entirely.. fuck the war, and every SINGLE soldier that leaves Iraq rather than stays is the true hero as he extricates himself from the opportunity to have to kill and destroy another day..

I am just so ridiculously excited today, now if only we could figure out the same idea in Afghanistan...

[chicka]

Hopefully this is the start of us deciding we aren't going to be world police anymore. We have to many issues at home. It took me as a surprise as I've given up following world events, especially American Politics as we have the most corrupt system on the planet.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by chicka

especially American Politics as we have the most corrupt system on the planet.

ah! americans-- ever so naive.

you're not the most corrupt by any means. trust me.

go live in haiti for a year & see for yourself.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

ah! americans-- ever so naive.

you're not the most corrupt by any means. trust me.

go live in haiti for a year & see for yourself.

I see you don't read the paper very often.. America is absolutely corrupt as can be, it is just less open. Everyday I read about corrupt politicians, corrupt police, corrupt businesses, corrupt schools, etc etc etc. Where is all that law and order supposedly? I haven't come across it yet.

The whole "you americans have it so good" is as destructive as ignoring the problem. Why do you want to block a bridge when an american confesses his being upset with America to you? Why can't we all work together instead of saying, "oh you americans don't really know" oh yeah? Maybe we do and your blinders can't let you see it.

Sure, the police don't stop and take bribes, but honestly, sometimes I wish I COULD just give some bitch ass rookie a bribe to get him off my ass

[knox]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

ah! americans-- ever so naive.

you're not the most corrupt by any means. trust me.

go live in haiti for a year & see for yourself.

In terms of HOW much power this corruption has I think he might be right.

I keep saying, once again agreeing with suchfriends, it's one thing if you're aware of this corruption, if it's always coming up on one way or the other because there are loopholes in how efficient it can be.

In some places, people just assume and accept this corruption because it's flawed enough to keep coming up. It just isn't organised enough.

But I guess the scarier thought it's having corruption that's so efficient people won't think it's there, except for this or that case they consider "exceptions".

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

I see you don't read the paper very often..

hilarious ad-nominem

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

America is absolutely corrupt as can be, it is just less open. Everyday I read about corrupt politicians, corrupt police, corrupt businesses, corrupt schools, etc etc etc. Where is all that law and order supposedly? I haven't come across it yet.

The whole "you americans have it so good" is as destructive as ignoring the problem. Why do you want to block a bridge when an american confesses his being upset with America to you? Why can't we all work together instead of saying, "oh you americans don't really know" oh yeah? Maybe we do and your blinders can't let you see it.

Sure, the police don't stop and take bribes, but honestly, sometimes I wish I COULD just give some bitch ass rookie a bribe to get him off my ass

it's nice to buy off a cop with a couple of sandwiches when you're in trouble (i've done it), and i don't trust american cops more than cops in other countries, but to live in widespread and socially engrained corruption creates moral double standards and ethical quandaries that is hard to live with if you want to live with any kind of integrity.

americans are by far an honest and trusting people; of course there are leeches and parasites out there but this does not change that fact.

when i lived in mexico as a kid if you dropped a coin in the schoolyard another kid would step on it and "claim" it instead of letting you pick it up, much less giving it back to you. (this was not a ghetto school by the way, the kids were well off). and then--much worse--the grownups did it too! that's also a country where the police are extremely rapacious. the little things become big things.

i have never lived in russia but i read enough newspapers to know that corruption there is *massive* and of a scale that people here have never experienced in their everyday lives.

the problem with americans is that they know little of other countries and cultures and tend not to travel abroad, so if you think that the world begins in florida and ends in california of course it will appear to you that this is the center of universal corruption. IT IS NOT. there are worse places. much worse. it feels ridiculous to have to say it, but this is not the center of the universe and it is not the capital of evil and it is not to blame for everything that happens elsewhere. america is not omnipotent, omnipresent, or better at everything, including crime. it's not!

of course there are problems, crimes, corruption, abuses-- but if you're going to diagnose diseases, diagnose them correctly. THIS IS THE WORST CANCER EVER. no, it's treatable.

[knox]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

americans are by far an honest and trusting people;

I really do think that's part of the problem, especially the trusting part.

But I would say, in most places I've been to, the great, great majority of people is absolutely honest. Not so much trusting but I think that could be a good thing.

[Tokolosh]

Am I the only one who disagrees with the US and it's allies leaving that godforsaken place in such a hurry?

Let me get this straight. Our governments go to war thinking that it's going to be a piece of cake, but instead get bitch slapped by the invisible enemy into a stalemate and then decide to leave?
Everyone knows that the warlords (who are WAY worse than Saddam ever was) are biding their time in the mountains till the infidels pull out.
Once that happens, they will crawl back out of their holes and plunder, rape, kill and divide the country once again.

This war was all for nothing. A fucking disgrace from day one.

[Tokolosh]

All I'm saying is that there's nothing to rejoice.
Not by a long shot.

[knox]

Originally Posted by Tokolosh

Am I the only one who disagrees with the US and it's allies leaving that godforsaken place in such a hurry?

Let me get this straight. Our governments go to war thinking that it's going to be a piece of cake, but instead get bitch slapped by the invisible enemy into a stalemate and then decide to leave?
Everyone knows that the warlords (who are WAY worse than Saddam ever was) are biding their time in the mountains till the infidels pull out.
Once that happens, they will crawl back out of their holes and plunder, rape, kill and divide the country once again.

This war was all for nothing. A fucking disgrace from day one.

Yes.

[Tokolosh]

Yes? As in?
Please elaborate.

[knox]

Yes, you are right. It was completely pointless, not much has improved and everybody fears what will happen now.

[knox]

ah.

[Tokolosh]

Ok.
This withdrawl only benefits the soldiers and their loved ones. And our governments, of course.
Can't say the same for Iraqi civilians. Their safety will soon lie in the hands of their incompetent security forces.

 

Now, watch me drive this ball.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

hilarious ad-nominem

dude I am serious. Just in the Times this morning I read about the Former Chief of Staff of NASA on charges for corruption, paying exorbitant contracts to friends and family businesses ( NASA's budget is often higher than that of Ethiopia) I also read about corruption ongoing in the California budget crisis, about corruption in the CALPERS, ongoing drama in Bell/Maywood (and of course Vernon, South Gate and Lynwood) and this Blagojavich trial in Chicago...

whats in the paper is just the crumbs they feed us, the tip of the iceburg I can only IMAGINE what is really going on. !@#$%! I think you accuse americans of being naive to the rest of the world, but perhaps you are also a bit naive about what goes on in America. Maybe we should all mutually trust each others opinions on the issue and hear each other out, so you can tell us about your experiences and we can tell you about ours

IT IS NOT. there are worse places. much worse. it feels ridiculous to have to say it, but this is not the center of the universe and it is not the capital of evil and it is not to blame for everything that happens elsewhere. america is not omnipotent, omnipresent, or better at everything, including crime. it's not!

THIS IS THE WORST CANCER EVER. no, it's treatable.

Its not that America is the center, no not at all, but I think you are inaccurate to downplay the level, scale and severity of American corruption, simply because you might not see it as obviously as you did in other places you have been. Wander around skid row or the county jail or the PJs and you just might get a better view.. (not to say you haven't, more like a reminder)
The trouble is that if you ignore and downplay the problem, you perpetuate it, so no, with attitudes like yours this cancer is untreatable, and I think knox rightfully pointed out that the corrupt people in America (like corrupt American business men) have inadvertantly the power to really fuck things up in other corrupt countries, and thus we are all globally intertangled in this mess..

We americans would like to get our own house in order, so please, don't try disaude or discourage folks. Lets solve these problems openly and honestly..

cancer is fucking cancer my brother, and it is dangerous and deadly regardless if it is in stage A or stage D...

Originally Posted by Tokolosh

Am I the only one who disagrees with the US and it's allies leaving that godforsaken place in such a hurry?
.

yes, because everyday Americans are in Iraq it instigates the haters and stokes unnecessary anomosities. Much like in Vietnam, regardless of how much we have fucked up the country, the best and first thing to do is leave, then we can clean up the mess we left behind. As long as we stay there with boots on the ground, we can't possibly clean up the mess because we just keep making it bigger, like a bull in a china shop trying to sweep up the glass, only to knock over more and more shit in the process :/