Then Presidential-candidate Barack Obama vowed if elected, he’d end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home. Now President Obama has kept that promise.
Late last week, U.S. combat troops began secretly leaving Iraq, finally leaving behind multiple tours of duty and heading home toward their families and loved ones. The symbolism of the moment, which has been 7 years and 5 months in the making since the US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, wasn’t lost on the departing soldiers. Cheering loudly and reveling in the moment as they crossed over the border into Kuwait, the soldiers honked their horns and shouted: “We’re going home, woo hoo!”
The brigade’s leaders were on hand and greeted the exhausted troops as they pulled into a car park and shed their sweaty armour. Said Colonel John Norris: “This is powerful. This is exciting for me. As a commander, this means all my soldiers are safely inside Kuwait and getting ready to redeploy back to their families.” And back home to their families they have gone.
Quote of the DayRetired Army Col. Andrew Berdy vents over at Tom Ricks' place:Can you explain to me how, or why, the myth of "all combat troops out of Iraq" is allowed to be perpetuated by the press, much less our senior military leadership? Yes, the mission has changed. But units like my son's Stryker Brigade (not the one that just left!) are, and always will be, combat infantry units. This is fiction pure and simple. I just don't get how the nation has swallowed this and why members of the media are not reporting facts the way they are rather than the political PR message the Administration wants portrayed. Does anyone not think that the likelihood of continued combat operations is a reality? When casualties are taken by these "non-combat forces" will those casualties be characterized as "non-combat" as well? […]H/T: The Daily DishAnd on a related note: “Invisible… Read more »