What does it mean to "end" the Iraq war?

Last month, President Obama announced that he was fulfilling his campaign pledge to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq that month: "Shortly after taking office, I announced our new strategy for Iraq and for a transition to full Iraqi responsibility. And I made clear that by August 31, 2010, America's combat mission in Iraq would end. And that is exactly what we are doing, as promised and on schedule."

But the September 1st transition from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn is perhaps more of a milestone on paper than in practice. Though the number of troops has been significantly drawn down from the 144,000 stationed in Iraq at the beginning of Obama's term, 50,000 non-combat troops will remain in the country until the end of 2011. These troops are designated as "trainers," but they could be drawn into combat if circumstances necessitated it. As Obama warned, "the hard truth is, we have not seen the end of American sacrifice in Iraq."

The end of Operation Iraqi Freedom comes at a time when Iraqis still await the formation of a national government—five months after the election—and continue to face violence, though the security situation has improved greatly since the dark days of 2006 and 2007. With many Iraqis ambivalent about (if not opposed to) the U.S. occupation, U.S. troops in Iraq feeling burned out, and the American public tiring of war, many agree that despite the ambiguity of the political and security situation left behind by U.S. troops, it is time for them to exit.

However, even December 2011 is not a date set in stone for the "end" of the Iraq war. Though the plan is to bring all remaining 50,000 U.S. troops home after that date and rely solely on the State Department, civilian contractors, and private security guards to train Iraqi police and meet other security needs, some experts believe that thousands of U.S. troops will still be needed in Iraq into 2012 and beyond.



A U.S. soldier looks at mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles as they are transported at an undisclosed U.S. military base in Kuwait after they were pulled out of Iraq along with the last combat brigade, almost seven and a half years after the U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein.
(© Getty Images, August 2010)

To familiarize yourself with the history and major issues of the Iraq war, read the Overview section of the Iraq report.

Then review the Obstacles section of that report to get a sense of the struggles that Iraq faces despite the end of U.S. combat operations there. Finally, search newspapers to find quotations from Iraqi politicians and citizens and U.S. politicians and soldiers in reaction to the August 2010 U.S. troop pull-out.

Write a short essay or put together a PowerPoint that could be delivered or presented on September 21—the International Day of Peace—in which you define what the "end" of the Iraq war means. Your speech or presentation might address the following essential questions for critical thinking:

• When should the Iraq war be considered over?
• What might be the benefits and drawbacks of a reduced number of U.S. troops in Iraq after August 2010? After December 2011?
• How should U.S. troops respond if major violence again erupts in Iraq?
• How are the different parties involved in the war, including Iraqi civilians, affected by U.S. timelines and troop deductions?
• How does the end of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq compare to the ending of U.S. combat missions in other wars?

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