IRAQ WITHOUT U.S TROOPS - OBAMA KEPT HIS PLEDGE

BY: MM
Obama kept to his promise that u.s troops would be withdrawn once the current government is able to handle the nation's security. The phasing out has begun and thousands of US troops had left Iraq to embarkation points in Kuwait. US seven-year combat deployment in Iraq is officially ended which has cost the lives of more than 4400 troops.

Vice-president, Joe Biden, said that 50,000 American troops will remain in Iraq until a totaled withdrawal at the end of 2011.

Biden added that US would have a new training mission called "Operation New Dawn" to continue US engagement with Iraq. The remaining contigent will conduct new training and counter-terrorism missions.

Wira hoped that Iraq would have the capacity and capabality to function as a sovereign state especially after the last US troop leaves in 2011. The challenges from within Iraq are real, particularly with the traditional tension and power struggle between the Shia and Sunni sects. With the availability of weapons of all sorts in the state and inspiration coming from neighboring country, bloody violences are not easily contained. The situation if not well managed, it could cause instability and insecurity in Iraq

President Obama has other important foreign policy priorities to deal with. His eyes are focused towards Afghanistan which US perceived as the exporter of terroism for as long as Osama bin Laden is alive.