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September 2, 2010

Biden Marks Nominal End to US Combat Operations in Iraq
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Vice President Joe Biden and top US military officials marked the
nominal end of US combat operations in Iraq with a formal
change-of-command ceremony in Baghdad. In what’s been described as a
made-for-television event, Biden said the US is on track to withdraw all
its troops by the end of next year.

Vice President Joe Biden: "The United States has now ended our combat
mission in Iraq, and Iraqi troops are taking lead responsibility for
their country’s security. We’ve kept a promise, a promise made to the
American people and to the people of Iraq, by drawing down our forces to
roughly 50,000. And we’re on track to remove all of our troops by end of
next year according to the agreement signed by President Bush made with
the Iraqi government."

Tens of thousands of US troops, special operations forces and private
contractors remain in Iraq. According to the New York Times, the
commander of one of the remaining US brigades, Colonel Malcolm Frost,
recently wrote to his soldiers’ families: "We will move around Iraq
fully protected in armored Strykers and other armored vehicles, wearing
full body armor, and fully loaded with ammunition to deal with the enemy
if/when they raise their head in anger against us."



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