President Obama addressed the nation Friday to announce he would be sending home the remaining U.S . troops from Iraq by the end of December.
President George W. Bush announced in 2003 that he would be sending troops into Iraq to search for weapons of mass destruction. These weapons were never found, yet troops have remained in the area for nearly a decade.
“Today, I can report that, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year,” Obama said. “After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over.”
In his press release, Obama continued to explain what future relations will be like between the United States and Iraq.
“As of January 1, and in keeping with our Strategic Framework Agreement with Iraq, it will be a normal relationship between sovereign nations, an equal partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect,” Obama said.
Though the troops will be leaving Iraq, the United States will still hold a presence in the country, attempting to help Iraq strengthen its economy and establish its sovereignty.
“I think [departure] is a good outcome for the United States,” Michael Struett , associate professor in the department of political science, said.
Struett said he believes now is the right time for the United States to leave Iraq.
“The good news is that the sovereign government of Iraq thinks that it is strong enough to get by without us,” Struett said.
Struett explained that although troops will be coming home, America will still be putting money into Iraq.
“The U.S . State department and other government agencies are going to be there for a long time trying to help the Iraqi government do what it wants to do,” Struett said. “There will be a couple hundred U.S . soldiers there.”
As Obama celebrated the removal of American troops from a more stable Iraq he addressed the remaining occupation in Afghanistan.
“Now, even as we remove our last troops from Iraq, we’re beginning to bring our troops home from Afghanistan, where we’ve begun a transition to Afghan security in leadership,” Obama said.
Jessica Koennecke , sophomore at Wake Technical Community College, is an active member of Raleigh’s political community.
“We’ve been at war long enough; I’m glad Obama is starting to send home some troops, it’s time,” Koennecke said.
Staff Sergeant Erew Koch spent roughly 30 months in Iraq over three separate tours. He explained that he was pleased with the war’s end.
“Do I feel what it did was worthwhile? Yes,” Koch said. “Do I feel that what I did was necessary? To an extent.”
Koch explained that he agreed with the mission to help instill democracy in Iraq.
“I’ve never lived under a dictator so I can’t say what life is like under one, but I can say that I’m very thankful that I’ve never had to,” Koch said.
While Struett explained that it is in America’s interest to leave Iraq, the Iraqi government received the notion positively.
“To some extent he is doing it because the Iraqi government has announced that they don’t want to have American troops there,” Struett said.
According to Struett , the timing of this mutual agreement could not have worked out better.
“That is about the best ending the US could have hoped for with its occupation of Iraq,” Struett said.
