President Barack Obama announced an end to Iraqi war, but that does not end the American investment in the war-torn nation.

Obama announced total troop withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2011 on Friday. However, Associate Professor in the department of political science William Boettcher said money will continue to flow into Iraq.

“This does not mean that the American presence in Iraq will disappear,” Boettecher said. “[Iraq will house] the largest U.S . embassy in the world. Billions of American dollars will still be flowing into Iraq to try to maintain stability and prevent any return to religious or ethnic conflict there.”

Obama’s move was expected, according to Boettecher .

“It’s a good step. What’s important is to see how political reconciliation continues in Iraq. There has been some concern that the various militant forces in Iraq have been waiting for U.S . forces to move out before they renew the civil war that was hotly contested in 2006 and 2007,” Boettecher said.

Only time will tell, according to Boettecher .

“The next year we will all be sitting on the edge of our seats keeping an eye out for whether better political reconciliation continues or whether there is an uptick in ethnic conflict there,” Boettecher said.

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