Took 23 years, 6 months, 10 days...but US finally out of Iraq

 

Took 23 years, 6 months, 10 days...but US finally out of Iraq

President George W. Bush criminally attacked Iraq on March 20, 2003 for no other reason than he could. He used the 911 attacks in New York, D.C. and Pennsylvania to remake the Middle East in America's image starting with Afghanistan 17 months earlier. 

Like Afghanistan, Iraq was a colossal disaster. Seeing their leader deposed and their people slaughtered didn't endear the Iraqi people to their Yankee invaders. They resisted violently, resulting in 6,000 US military and contractor deaths and over 100,000 injured. Trillions squandered with endless billions for decades' long term vets' health care to come. 

Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden refused to end the madness of senseless war and occupation that killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. 

The Iraqi government has spent all 23 plus years demanding the US leave Iraq. Two years ago President Biden agreed to end US troop presence but later reneged, stating  he wouldn't pull all US forces out but was only changing the mission from the anti-ISIS coalition to a “bilateral security partnership.” Militant Iraqi groups no like and repeatedly launched attacks on US positions, occasionally wounding, even killing Americans. 

Even war fanatic Trump had enough and rescinded Biden's ludicrous 'hang around' order, pulling out the last soldiers September 30. 

Abu Mojtaba al-Yasiri, a leader in the Iraqi Shia militias known as the Islamic Resistance of Iraq (IRI), put it bluntly:  “On September 30, we will celebrate the turning of a black page ⁠in Iraq’s history and the failure of the occupation to impose its will on our country. Iraq has proven that its sovereignty cannot be secured by foreign forces, but by the resistance and the will of its people.” 

When America invaded Iraq, war loving neocons gloated 'real men go to Iran.' That was always the ultimate goal in the deranged US makeover of the Middle East. Seven moths before Iraq finally kicked out America, another idiotic president did just that. Unlike the 23 years, 6 months, 10 days it took Iraq to oust America, Iran will vanquish America from its neighborhood before this war's first anniversary.  

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL