Another historic announcement from the White House. Today, President Obama announced a full withdrawal of all 39,000 U.S. troops from Iraq in time for the holidays.
In the speech from the White House Briefing Room, he reminded Americans of his pledge as a candidate to "bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end."
Noting a shift in priorities, Obama said "the nation that we need to build and the nation that we will build is our own: an America that sees its economic strength restored just as we restored our leadership around the globe."
The controversial mission has dragged on for nearly nine years, and it left 4,482 Americans dead and 32,213 wounded. It also cost the United States $712 billion dollars — yeah, that's with 'b' — and works out to about $3.8 billion per month.
Obama informed Iraq's Prime Minister Maliki of his decision via a video-conference call. The administration offered to keep some troops on the ground to train the Iraqi forces, but the Iraq government wouldn't grant those troops immunity. Some State Department staffers and contractors will stick around.
The major announcement came just one day after the death of Libyan dictator, Moammar Khaddafy.





the repubs love to talk about how patriotic they are. but they are being very unpatriotic in their treatment of our president.
i am amazed at how much Barack Obama has done to keep our country safe, and very thankful. he did what W. bush and the republican party could not or did not want to do, and it only took 2.5 years, BECAUSE OUR PRESIDENT MADE IT A PRIORITY.
the repubs must feel very impotent right now, as President Obama is wiping the floor with them.
love love love Barack Obama.
Barack Obama 2012!
This is nothing more then GOP crap! They hate this President and it is showing more and more each day! President Barack Obama could find the cure for cancer, they STILL WOULD NOT TAKE IT! NOTHING is good enough for these people. So....I have a suggestion! You don't have to vote Democrat (unless you want too) but please DO NOT RE-ELECT any of these sitting members of Congress. If you live in their state or congressional district, vote for someone else. Enough is enough of this nonsense and only the VOTERS can change the tide of this insanity.
albert,
are you throwing crap against the wall to see what sticks?
It figures you are so blind by your love of lawrence and Barrack that you refuse to see anything that could be a blemish to your socialist agendas. Have you ever, once in your life, looked at somthing objectively without your partisan hatred?
'socialist agenda'.....So you want to talk 'agendas' huh? Lets talk about all the new voter ID restrictions setforth by the t'baggers aimed at Dem voters. Kurt my boy, I have asked every t'bagging reichwingnut I can to show me PROOF that voter fraud was so out of control that it justified the new voter laws and NOT ONE can produce a single example. Now I'm asking you. Can you man up? And no Fixed news BS rhetoric.
And your link for varification of your accusations. Just you saying it does not make it truth.
albert,
you have been sent here by fox news or rush limbaugh or the baggers to push your propaganda.
in your post #4.3 you sound like fox news and the repubs on the hill pushing the lie about voter fraud so you can justify the voter suppresion that is happening in states where there is a republican majority.
fox news has said (bill hemmer) that REGULATING voters is beneficial to the republican party.
we know how you all love regulations.
@John in Texas-I wasn't talking to you, stop stalking me you nutbag.
I don't care WHO you were talking to. When you come on this blog and make insane accusations then expect to be challenged on it.
if you're a republican you need to be worried about your torch barror mitt romney and herman cain....if i was a republican with enron adephila etcetc etc haliburtion etc etc i would nt throw stones....
i think he's throwing feces in his cage....
classless yesterday on khaffi killing giving credit to the french and english not obama the american troop cia, etc etc...boo hiss unamerican that the new improved gop should call it the x wife party...
Where not these the same people who coined freedom fries?
I wonder when all those troops get back and find out what the congress has been doing. When they find themselves without jobs and then when they go into forums or you tube and they see this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKX6luiMINQ
Will they be pissed at Bush? I hope so. It is the only way they will wake up if they are part of the brainwashed GOP base.
No they will be pissed at POS Socuialist like you who have ruined our economy.
Talk about brain washed,,,,,,,,,,, I say you are brain dead
Do you miss Bush??
Kurt. Name ONE socialist item in this addministration. Name the items under GWB that cost this country how many trillion dollors and lives. Lied us into 1 conflict and started another, both unfunded. Part D unfunded. 2 tax cuts unfunded. WHO ruined the economy? And yes, you can look up the information if you know how.
kurt,
do you even know what happened during the W. bush 8 year debacle?
@Suzette, Yes I do, and I am over it now. I suggest you get over it too or seek professional help. BTW even Joe Biden said it's time to stop blaming everything on Bush, and for the current admiunistration to start taking responsibility for today's problems. Learned that in Leadership 101.....
@Larry-Obama Care. Anymore brilliant questions?
Bush started two unfunded wars yet Obama can not start a jobs bill that's funded
What wrong with this picture
And he had Congress approve both. Not like Obama who just uses the military as he pleases.
I guess it's easy to forget the bush disaster when you voted for him not once, but twice. It's called denial. But for the rest of us who will be affected by his idiotic policies for a long time to come, thats not an option.
I guess if you sit around all day thinking about how Bush has affected your life you are a really weak person. It's o.k John, your man's in office, get on with your life.