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As of this morning, there are about 56,000 American forces in Iraq. That number will be drawn down to about 50,000 by Aug. 31. As of last night, all American combat brigades are out of Iraq. About 6,000 combat forces, disparate elements of combat brigades remain in Iraq temporarily, but are not currently organized to conduct combat operations.
When combat operations officially end Aug 31, that does not mean that some of the 50,000 American forces that remain in Iraq will never see combat. Senior military official tell NBC News that the so-called advise and assist brigades that do not have a formal combat mission will, however, be combat capable. Some of those forces that will be embedded with Iraqi forces could indeed be drawn into combat.
About 4,500 American Special Operations forces will also continue to conduct counter-terrorism operations, hunting down and capturing or killing al Qadea members. While these operations are not considered formal combat mission, they often do result in combat tactics. Then there's the deadline to withdraw all American forces from Iraq by the end of 2011. The chief of the Iraqi military warned last week that Iraqi forces won't be fully capable of providing security for all of Iraq until 2020.
While senior military officials scoff at that timeline, some do acknowledge that, at this point, it appears the withdrawal agreement with the Iraqis may have to be renegotiated next year to permit some smaller numbers of American forces to remain in Iraq -- not in a formal role -- but to continue to work with Iraq forces.
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Last US Combat Brigade Leaves Iraq MSNBC Coverage Just “Awesome” Thank You, Thank You!
Can the Media Political Noise Commit One Day Just One Day to Our Soldiers Who Politicians & Media Say They Love So However, Continue
To Ignore Them While They Fight For this country endlessly Yet Cannot Get One Media Day Of Appreciation,
Just One Day Is That Asking Too Much For Those Actually Doing Something To Protect Your Family & Mine rather than the continued 24/News Cycle?
Just One Day Of Recognition
Action Speaks Louder Than Words
Just One Day
To Our Troops We Appreciate You and The Struggles of Your Families & Especially Thank You For Your Service On Our Behalf! We Don’t Have Words To Express Our Appreciation!
I challenge The Media & Politicians, Just One Day!
This should Have Been Today’s Headline in every news organization in this country yet
Its Business As Usual, The Questions About The War, Next Moves, Greed, Politics……………
June, don't hold your Breath on that.
The MSM is & was Complicit(I wonder if Jill(OK) even knows what it means) in this Iraq debacle, by Not questioning the Merits. Now they have found thier backBone & wanna question everything our current President suggest's.
By Not being Responsible, the MSM is Complicit in Almost Destroying this Great Nation !
Now they, the MSM think they can just forget what it was that led America down this path of near Destruction, with a "WHO ME" attitude.
It's Sickening!
I curious to see if ANY of the usual right wing 'suspects' will be able to find a morsel of compassion and FINALLY thank our BRAVE troops on this thread!
When I left First Thoughts they were still so engaged in their HATE filled frenzy and pointing out typo's they couldn't be bothered!
Flag waving - pin wearing PHONIES is what they are!
PS: Rick don't be so hard on our rookie attorney! *insert snark* She has 'feelings' too ya know... ;0))))
Feisty, as We know this should be a day of Celebration for America's Brave troops,the usual HateFest is seen from the flagwaveing Idiots, whose Train of Thought has put America in this Predicament. It is that Train of Thought, that makes me say:
MAY THEY ALL ROT IN HELL !
WOW, there's no words for those posts............again Fiesty, who are "supects" again?
us Republicans always have and always will support our troops. we Honor them no matter where they are in the world. That including when they are here in the United States.. We thank them on a Daily Basis.. We support them whether its a time of combat or a time of peaces.. We never Accuse them of being Baby killers. like John Kerry. John murtha and many other Liberals in our Congress and around our Country.. WE HONOR their service to our Country
Fiesty. Glad to see you are finally on Board with us on this...
Steve - while I do support our men and women in uniform and am so thankful for them, I'd be rather stupid to say they are all worthy of my praise and gratitude. I had a childhood friend while growing up, her step dad shot her mother in cold blood right in front of her and her younger brother and sister. Those folks are human just like you and I are and some are just as capable of making mistakes just like we are. There were many baby killers in VietNam (I am old enough to remember what you are talking about), unfortunately, that was a war they did not volunteer to go to therefore I don't blame them for any of that - that was ordered by someone well above their paygrade.
One thing I have never seen the republicans do is actually care for these folks when they come back from a war - which is wrong, bush sent them to Iraq with no clear plan and with no plan what so ever to care for them when they returned. Pretty crazy if you ask me, but I expected nothing less from a drugged out drunk.
Union Baby,
I am not talking about the Vietnam War.. I am Talking about the Iraq war and Afgan wars. that John Kerry's and John Murtha's, and Many Liberals in our Congress and around our Country that Have Accussed these Fine men and women of doing . they did the same thing to these men and women that they did to our Soldiers coming home from Vietnam..
and Since Obama has Admitted to Using Drugs and Drinking . Do you feel the same way about him?
There you have it folks Steve and the teabagging republicans fake support for our troops. In one breath he says he supports our troops and in the next breath he denigrates our troops. That sir is called fake support of our troops, and no matter how you try to spin it you do not support our troops.
Please MO..
Support your Liberal Lying Facts anywhere within my POST that i denigrated our Troops. PLease show me.. I denigrated JOHN KERRY AND JOHN MURTHA that Accussed OUR TROOPS of being Baby Killers Murders.. Terrorist .. T
You have to be the Biggest Liar on these boards and cant Support your Lies that i ever Denigrated our Troops
But i sure am Glad to know that you Support the Things that John kerry and John Murtha Said about our Troops
Steve,
Mo can't....................and you're right, Murtha called the Marines murders...............I'm glad the Marines in that unit sued him too. Enjoy the video MO. He does an interview on the Chris Matthews Hardball....................
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTBQW-FYEKg
As a staunch Republican, allow me to say the following:
Nothing infuriates me more than someone questioning my patriotism and support for our troops. I retired from the military in 2004 after 26 years of service and 8 deployments to the Middle East and Afghanistan, including two to Iraq. While there I did my duty and led my troops to the upmost of my abilities.
That being said, I believed that we were there to do good and still believe that today. In time, I came to believe that the reason we were sent was not totally accurate. But by and large, the Iraqi people are and will be better off because of our actions. I am proud of the fact that our combat troops are coming home, but also know that 50,000 of them will remain in “advisory” roles. I also know that some Americans will probably still give their lives in this war.
I honor our troops everyday and hope that one day all will be home.
John - I don't believe anyone on here does not support our troops - in fact, it might be the one thing we could all agree on, if we weren't so busy arguing all the other petty partisan battles we seem to feel the need to re-fight over and over on here every single day.
The heartfelt thanks I mentioned on the previous page includes your service as well, and I join you in hoping for the day when everyone will be home.
John,
Amen brother!!! I too retired Army with 20 years, 17 of that EOD, so you by all people would know.
Thanks for serving!! Enjoy retirement........
John,
Thank you for your Service to our Country,
So, John, you can IMAGINE what it felt like to be against the war in the first place and to have the President question MY Patriotism, then right?
I have lived on a military base (Camp Pendleton) and I had two step fathers who were Marines. My brother was a Marine and I don't need my President to tell me I am unpatriotic because I question the "mushroom cloud" fear tactic to draw us into war in the first place.
Thank you for your service; but neither party has a 'lock' on patriotism.
John First let me express to you my appreciation to you for your service to our country both past and ongoing.
Been a long time since I was in the military environment but I see that you and I both share the same disdain for folks that would question another’s patriotism. I must admit that when this happened to me right before the Iraq war and after it became quite clear that things were not just way they had been pictured for simply expressing my opinion that we as a country might go back and take a second or even third look at this It hurt more than I thought possible after all this time. Here again I figured out a way to get over it
Today I see quite a few folks like yourself that simply want express their heartfelt joy and appreciation that at least some of our sons and daughters are finally being given the opportunity to stand down a little in a less hostile environment.
Then I see some of our friends and neighbors below you here that just can’t seem to resist disparaging this sentiment and attributing it to some kind of vague “conspiracy” You know something that hurts just as bad as somebody telling me that I’m not their idea of a “Patriot”
Again thank you for your service and my very heartfelt thanks for taking the trouble to put up a thought that I can and will always stand up beside no matter what “Party” you a member of.
John,
A patriot is a proud supporter, or defender of his/her country. Sadly, so many seem to confuse this with support, or defense for their political beliefs. But politics aside............
History acknowledges an evil dictator that had invaded his neighbors, that gassed his own people, conducted ethnic cleansing, that successfully planned the assassination of the leader of a foreign country, had for years violated the terms of the armistice of another war and had for years manipulated a world organization, who's primary purpose was to insure peace. The world did not act until it was too late. Over 50 million ultimately lost their lives. How many could have been saved if someone had stood up to evil before it was too late?
History acknowledges another evil dictator 60 years later that matches the above profile except for the distinction that his planned assassination of a foreign leader was not successful.
This time someone did step in. That someone was you and your fellow, TRUE patriots.
History will tell us how many true patriots made the ultimate sacrifice. History will never be able to tell us how many have been saved by this sacrifice.
I believe your efforts and those of fellow service members, did make a difference. I believe the Iraqi people and the world are better off.
Thank you John.
John think you for your service. We are proud of the job you and your comrades have done.
John, TY for your service, but NO ONE is a Winner here, Except "OSAMA BIN LADEN".
Our former President Bush, took the Sympathy of the World from 911 & Wiped his A$$ withit.
I'll say this allday long, "may they All, Rot in hell"
You just couldn't thank the man an move the hell on.
You had to go into your little Bush ramble.
They will probably meet your dumbazz in hell.
I know I'll see your DumbA$$ there, ITM .
It will be awhile Rick.... remember only the 'good' die young!
The OLD Texas 'catfish' will probably live to be 100!
In any case he'll have access to the express elevator going down!
We still have lots of troops everywhere. In March 2010 we had 66K in Germany, 50K in Japan
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/deploy.htm
It is about time, it's about time, it's about time. Soon George W. Bush's war will be over and our brave men and women will be home or deployed to the war that should have been fought instead, Afghanistan. Obama said he would get them out of there and, once again, he honors his campaign promise.
Yea.. WE thank George bush for his Polices that made it Possible to Win the War in Iraq. it was his policies that made it possible to Bring them home. His Polices that won this war, I so remember Barrack Obama Telling the American People that the War was Lost and it wasn't Winnable then Later having to Admit that he was Wrong... ... Thanks George Bush winning this War....
Another "tip o' the hat" to NBC/MSNBC which apparently was the only network that cancelled regularly scheduled programing last night to cover the departure of the one remaining Striker brigade as they moved out of Iraq and into Kuwait (including live broadcasts from Richard Engle, embedded along with the troops, and Rachael Maddow, reporting from the International Zone in Bagdad). Thanks for the coverage of this significant event and recognition of our troops. God Bless our troops and their families for their sacrifice.
You don't get it, do you?
That was done in order to prop Obama-not because GE suddenly became a flag-waving, patriotic entity.
This is the first mention made about the troops left over there-and the ones who are still deploying? Well, they may get a mention sometime down the road-like, maybe, after the election.
Oh, and many of those troops who left Iraq did just that-left Iraq-but they are not 'coming home, unless, for them, 'home' is Kuwait
Sorry tgriff-no joe is correct................When I was there in Iraq 05/06 it was Fox news and last year it was either CNN or MSNBC...........So nice try to stir up the pot with fact you have no clue of.......
The troops of the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division are based in my home state, Washington, at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord. According to the base Spokeswoman Catherine Caruso, two flights were scheduled early Thursday with a total of 350 soldiers. The second group was scheduled for an 8:30 a.m. welcoming ceremony with family members at Soldiers Field House. As stated bybrigade chief, Col. John Norris "This is powerful. This is exciting for me. As a commander, this means that all of my soldiers are safely inside of Kuwait and getting ready to redeploy back to their families," Norris told The Associated Press.
Obama delivered on his promise. I prefer to celebrate and praise our troops. It is a pity that your unrelenting negativity and hatred precludes your ability to recognize any milestone towards the conclusion of this misguided war and occupation initiated by our previous President. I prefer to celebrate and praise the accomplishments and sacrifice of our troops and their families regardless of who is in office.
tgriff, their just mad because Fox wouldn't interupt it's hate broadcasting to support the troops, and MSNBC covered the whole thing. During a commercial I turned over to Fox and in 2 minutes Hannity spewed out 5 lies of hate. This just goes to show Fox is the 1 million dollar teabagging republican party.
LOL, Sorry tgriff, wrong again............that was done when Bush was in office. Again you have your facts wrong. At least you support the troops..............
"Obama delivered on his promise"
I also served during the 70's and support the sacrifices made every day by our troops and their families, but in all likely hood our forces will be re deployed in a combat role when the Iraqi's cannot maintain security. Anyone who believes that terrorism or armed conflict can be eliminated from the world during any of our lifetimes is just fooling themselves. As long as groups, whether religious fanatics or dictatorial regimes envy or disagree with our way of life, armed conflict will remain as most of these groups see the only way to convert the rest of the world to their view is to eliminate their opposition.
I and three other brothers served in the Korean War, my father carried the ammo needed by the troops and also brought back the body bags into San Francisco. That was 60 years ago and we still have 50 to 60 thousand troops on the 38th parallel without any sign of a peaceful settlement. Don't try to confince me that the 56 thousand troops that will remain in Irag are going to be there for any short period of time training the Iragi army..If history is to repeat itself those 50 thousand troops will be rotating and one day will see their sons and daughters serving in the same theater 60 years from now and the American people will be footing billions of dollars to the greedy war hawks.
Bern:
Sadly, I think you're dead on. Thanks for your service, and that of your entire family.