July 19th, 2010

Returning home after seven years

In July 2010 the fourth brigade of Stryker armored vehicles of the Second Infantry Division U.S. Army left, ending with Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2003.  

At first everyone thought that the withdrawal of troops from Iraq could be one of the most difficult ever faced by the U.S. Army for a period of six months to two years. In addition to the displacement of thousands of troops and material, was a problem.

What at first was to last 40 days was extended to 87 months, at cost to the Pentagon's 784,000 million. Despite of the economic wear and the lives lost in this war, troops have left the country before the deadline to set up Barack Obama, the current U.S. president.
 
Nevertheless, 50,000 troops remain in Iraq the United States, which are not combat brigades, but will be responsible for training Iraqi security forces as part of Operation New Dawn. "In this new operation, U.S. troops have to deal with the training of Iraqi forces in a country that is not stabilized.

The State Department described the event as "historic moment", however, despite the withdrawal of the brigade, neither the Pentagon nor the White House has given a end of the American mission in the country set for the next 31 August.

Begoña Velao