US troops to be out of Iraq this year
December 12th, 2011 - 11:43 pm ICT by Aishwarya BhattWashington, Dec 12 (THAINDIAN NEWS) After almost nine years, the last US troop in Iraq is expected to leave the country by the end of the year. The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is currently in Washington where he is expected to discuss post-US-pullout Iraq with the American administration.
During his campaign for the 2008 elections, President Barack Obama promised that if given the nod, he will bring home the US troops from Iraq before the end of his term. With another election coming up, Obama is expected to drum home the fact that he has fulfilled a campaign promise.
Obama ordered the withdrawal of the troops last year. Since 2010, the US has pulled out several troops from Iraq. There are only about 6,000 troops left in the country and they are expected to leave the country by the end of the year. They will hand security to the Iraqi army with fears that terrorists will take advantage of the situation and turn the country to a dangerous zone.
In an interview with the Washington Post, al-Maliki said that, “If [Iran's] excuse was that the presence of US troops on Iraqi soil posed a threat to [Iranian] national security, then this danger is over now,” he said. “With it ends all thinking, calculations and possibilities for interference in Iraqi affairs under any other banner.”
- US troops to pull out from Iraq by 2011 end - Oct 22, 2011
- US, Iraqi officials talk relations after troops drawdown - Oct 29, 2011
- Iraqi PM rules out US troops' stay beyond 2011 - Dec 28, 2010
- Last US troops out of Iraq (Lead) - Dec 18, 2011
- 23 protesters killed in Iraq's 'Day of Rage' - Feb 26, 2011
- Obama marks end of Iraq war - Dec 15, 2011
- Barack Obama to host Iraqi PM in White House - Nov 05, 2011
- Radical Islamic cleric al-Sadr urges Iraqis to 'resist occupier US with all means' - Jan 08, 2011
- Iran hails Iraq's 'growing influence' - Apr 24, 2012
- Japan pledges $750 mn for Iraq's development - Nov 23, 2011
- Anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr returns to Iraq - Jan 06, 2011
- Iraqi factions sign peace pact proposed by radical Shiite cleric - Dec 25, 2011
- US Vice President Biden in surprise visit to Iraq - Jan 23, 2010
- 'Only 17,000 US soldiers left in Iraq' - Nov 25, 2011
- Biden arrives in Iraq to mark combat end - Aug 31, 2010
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