US troops withdrawal from Iraqi cities

June 29, 5:50 PMLiberal ExaminerRaymond Gellner

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US troops in Basra, Iraq.  (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)

Tuesday June 30 marks the deadline for US troop withdrawal from Iraq’s cities into outlying bases in rural areas, and indeed, this has been a process which has been on-going for the past several weeks. A huge step in the US process to withdrawal by 2011, this is a critical test in the stability of a country which has had a difficult time in gaining its footing since the implementation of the post-Hussein government. As stated on June 21 by General Raymond Odierno, "This is the right time to transition security of the cities to the ISF [Iraq Security Force] who are ready for this task."

Despite the fact that Iraqi forces have already been in the lead on internal security since January, there is expected to be a rise in violence following this event. In fact, there has been an increase in past week of violence, especially against Shiites, but the Prime Minister of Iraq blames this on an attempt by the remaining fragments of Al-Qaeda cells in Iraq to rekindle violence between the Sunnis and Shiites.

As stated by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki “We are on the threshold of a new phase that will bolster Iraq’s sovereignty.” Concerning the US urban withdrawal, he further said, “a message to the world that we are now able to safeguard our security and administer our internal affairs.” Due to the ability Iraq now will have in being solely responsible for its own security, at least within the confines of its urban locations, al- Maliki has declared June 30 “National Sovereignty Day.”  The response to this event by the citizens of Iraq has been one of extreme jubilation.

The US military is confident in this process, yet they are not concerned over whether this should be labeled as a victory. Per Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell, "I don't think anybody's too preoccupied with declaring victory. I don't think that was necessarily something we'll ever do."

Going forward, US troops in Iraq will be concentrating on rural combat operations. However, they will respond requests for assistance should the Iraqi government have a need for intervention. Most other coalition forces have already removed their troops completely from Iraq. Great Britain, whose troops will all be pulled out by the end of July, will leave approximately 400 soldiers for the purpose of training of Iraqi forces.

United States combat soldiers are scheduled to pull out of the country by August 31, 2010 with the remainder of soldiers out by the end of 2011. 
 

 For more information, please see: 
Wisconsin troops react to U.S. withdrawal from Iraqi cities