&host=www.rt.com&uri=/news/us-troops-leaving-iraq-661/&via=1.1 8.27.241.139:80 (Footprint 4.8/FPMCP)&ua=CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html))
Operation Iraqi Freedom: Officially over, but just beginning
Published: 13 December, 2011, 11:43
U.S. Army soldiers from the 2-82 Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, stand in formation before heading to their amored vehicles as they prepare to turn them in the day after exiting service in Iraq (AFP Photo / AHMAD AL-RUBAYE)
(27.0Mb) embed videoTAGS: Arms, Military, Obama, Politics, Iraq, USA, Marina Dzhashi, Sean Thomas, War
The war in Iraq is coming to an end, says the US president, and the troops are leaving a sovereign and self-reliant Iraq. But Iraqis say after almost a decade of occupation, their country is simply being cast adrift.
US President Barack Obama on Monday heralded the end of the divisive Iraq War and warned the country's neighbors that the United States would remain a major player in the region, even as it brings its troops home.
Speaking after a morning of meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at the White House, Obama said other nations must not interfere with Iraq's sovereignty.
As 2011 draws to an end, a historical chapter for Iraq and the US is finishing as well. The occupation is over. Meanwhile, despite all the efforts by the US there is doubt that anything significant has been accomplished in implementing a new form of democratic government.
Locals say they are glad that Americans are leaving their country. But “we are still concerned because after the troops leave we do not know what will happen next!” one resident, Shifah, told RT’s Sean Thomas.
Iraqi engineer, Muhanned, voices another problem: “I think that the US is right in destroying Saddam and the old system is finished, but the problem is they are not building a new system that is more than from Saddam system.”
For generations Iraq has been plagued by sectarian violence. Now, moving forward there is concern whether different parties can agree to work together for the benefit of the country. And now there is a fear that an ineffective government will leave the country vulnerable to outside influences.
However, the US forces are not the only problem for the future of Iraq. “For now the problem is the fighting between the political people. This is the real problem and this is why we suffer,” another local, Mohanned, told our correspondent.
Another obstacle to overcome in Iraq is the infrastructure. It was already crumbling when the war began, but then it was destroyed as the conflict progressed. Now the people living there say there is a lot of rhetoric about rebuilding, but that corruption and infighting is preventing real progress.
Moreover, beyond the political challenges, there has been an exodus of critical thinkers and educated talent in the country – a much-needed resource for any developing nation – leaving Iraqis in a position of continued reliance on American resources.
Political analyst Raed Jarrar says the US campaign in Iraq was a strategic failure, part of an agenda that has made Washington enemies in the Arab World.
“Now the US is leaving and what do we have in Iraq? We have a failed state that is run by political parties loyal to Iran. The current Iraqi political regime is not very friendly with the US, but is very friendly with Iran. So if a war erupts between the US and Iran, the current Iraqi regime will most definitely take Iran’s side,” he said.
13.12.2011, 11:39
8 comments
Ukraine finds 'Iron Lady' appealingUkraine’s highest appeal court has begun reviewing an appeal petition by former Ukrainian premier Yulia Tymoshenko, who did not attend the hearings due to health problems. It is Tymoshenko’s last chance to escape seven years behind bars. |
13.12.2011, 14:07
13 comments
'US to control Iraq oil always'Despite the US’s declared withdrawal of its military personnel and contractors out of Iraq, Washington has prepared to control the country's rich oil reserves in any case, shared Ranjit Singh Kalha, former India's ambassador to Iraq in the 1990s. |
Obviously, the war-mongers and war-criminals have made their super-profits; the war-criminal politicians like George Bush Jnr., Dick Cheney, Tony Blair, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowich and Condoleezza Rice have all retired covering themselves with diplomatic immunity!
Meanwhile, Iraq is in a mess with the dust yet to settle! For how long would the world look elsewhere while a handful of politicians, arms conglomerates and oil cartels, set the world agenda to invade countries on the flimpsies of excusses? It's even more abhorrent and disgusting when all along, the real motive was - for the politicians - to make their fellow war-mongering and war-profiteer friends mega-rich at the expence of the untold suffering heaped on the innocent!
As D.D says above all the while this country is a huge gas station it will be de-sabilised by those who simply want to have control over the natural reserves.
Perhaps the first thing to do would be for the 'government' to get it's act together, and decide to sell it's oil to China, and ask for help to get a sensible economic, fiscal, and balanced political system in place in order to repair the infrastructure. I think America has enough oil of it's own to stop controlling other people's. There are alternatives to oil. Rather than become totally dependent on this industry I think Iraq is in an ideal position to build infrastructure that is not totaly dependent on selling natural reserves.
Well, the Americans left themselves with little other option than to crawl out a decade after blazing in. One would hope that they have learnt their lesson, but there isn't much hope. We are heading into a time of great difficulty in the world, and international conflict is the least of it. A preponderance of greed has left people struggling and national economies tottering, and more attention is required to rectify domestic situations the world over. What I am wondering is how long human greed is going to blind us to the imminent danger facing us in our own countries. It is time to sort out the home front, for everybody.