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US Troops Pull Out of Iraqi Cities

4 Soldiers Killed in Combat on Eve of Withdrawal

By KIM GAMEL and PATRICK QUINN
,
AP
posted: 132 DAYS 6 HOURS AGO
comments: 1762
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BAGHDAD (June 29) - Four U.S. soldiers were killed in combat shortly before the American military completed a withdrawal from Iraq's cities, and the prime minister assured Iraqis that government forces taking control of urban areas on Tuesday were more than capable of protecting the country.
Nouri al-Maliki said in a nationally televised address that "those who think that Iraqis are not able to protect their country and that the withdrawal of foreign forces will create a security vacuum are committing a big mistake."
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The withdrawal that was completed on Monday was part of a U.S.-Iraqi security pact and marks the first major step toward withdrawing all American forces from the country by Dec. 31, 2011. President Barack Obama has said all combat troops will be gone by the end of August 2010.
In the attack Monday against U.S. forces, the military said the four soldiers who were killed served with the Multi-National Division-Baghdad but did not provide further details pending notification of their families. It said they died as a "result of combat related injuries."
It was the deadliest attack against U.S. forces since May 21, when three soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in a roadside bombing in southern Baghdad.
There was a significant spike in violence before the June 30 withdrawal. More than 250 people were killed in a series of bombings, including one on June 20 that left 81 dead outside a mosque in northern Iraq and another in a Baghdad market on June 24 that killed 78. Al-Maliki has blamed the attacks on al-Qaida in Iraq and the remnants of Saddam Hussein's Baath party.
"I congratulate the Iraqi people on this day, June 30, when the U.S. forces have withdrawn from Iraq cities in accordance to the forces withdrawal agreement," al-Maliki said. "We consider this day as a national holiday and it is a joint achievement by all Iraqis."
The Iraqi government has named June 30 National Sovereignty Day and declared a public holiday.
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President Jalal Talabani said the day could not have happened without the help of the United States, which invaded Iraq in 2003 and ousted Saddam — who was later convicted by an Iraqi court and executed in December 2006.
"While we celebrate this day, we express our thanks and gratitude to our friends in the coalition forces who faced risks and responsibilities and sustained casualties and damage while helping Iraq to get rid from the ugliest dictatorship and during the joint effort to impose security and stability," Talabani said.
Describing June 30 as a "glorious page" in Iraq's history he warned that "security will not be achieved completely without the proper political environment and without a real national unity and reconciliation."
Iraq marked the day with an overnight display of fireworks, while thousands attended a party in a park where singers performed patriotic songs.
The midnight handover to Iraqi forces filled many citizens with pride but also trepidation that government forces are not ready and that violence will rise. Shiites fear more bombings by Sunni militants; Sunnis fear that the Shiite-dominated Iraqi security forces will give them little protection.
If the Iraqis can hold down violence in the coming months, it will show the country is finally on the road to stability. If they fail, it will pose a challenge to Obama's pledge to end an unpopular war that has claimed the lives of more than 4,300 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis.
Some U.S. troops will remain in the cities to train and advise Iraqi forces. U.S. combat troops will return to the cities only if asked. The U.S. military will continue combat operations in rural areas and near the border, but only with the Iraqi government's permission.
The U.S. has not said how many troops will be in the cities in advisory roles, but the vast majority of the more than 130,000 U.S. forces remaining in the country will be in large bases scattered outside cities.
There have been some worries that the 650,000-member Iraqi military is not ready to maintain stability and deal with a stubborn insurgency.
Associated Press Writer Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report from Baghdad.
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Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2009-06-29 18:18:53

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Carlrock456

07:18 AMJul 01 2009

four more young american sons have given there very lives ... excuse me , I meant " troops " , " numbers " , " casulties " , " sacrifices " etc etc ...this sounds easier for us to deal with ....heard of a site ( operationgraditude.com ) for sending packages , letters etc to our soldiers overseas ...its for real ...even if your a liberal military soldier / american hater ...

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(2)

Pidaman

01:37 AMJul 01 2009

Peace to those four ( and all the others). Rather have their funerals televised then Jacko's.

AVG RATING:
(3)

RjgCAPUTO

12:21 AMJul 01 2009

NOW IF THE ISREALI WOULD LEAVE THE OCCUPIED LANDS AND STOP THE SETTLEMENT; WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR PEACE IN THE MID-EAST!

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Hazmatgirl561

11:40 PMJul 01 2009

TheMaleBod 07:43 PMJun 30 2009 We should never have been in Iraq. There won't be justice until our soldiers are home and Bush & Co. are in jail.///// You know.. you never play your ace until you are in the corner.. this is not I what to happen at all.. might be a late night dream but no...

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Hazmatgirl561

11:37 PMJul 01 2009

Herndoggie 09:48 PMJul 01 2009 Saw Iraq military parade on BBC and US news ...Iraq has been given M1A1 Abrams tanks???????????? These tanks have very advanced armour and tech what in the hell is Obama thinking.......anyone have an answer??????/// Well.. don't know about the tanks but the silly part of this is a Bush plan...

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(3)

Herndoggie

09:48 PMJul 01 2009

Saw Iraq military parade on BBC and US news ...Iraq has been given M1A1 Abrams tanks???????????? These tanks have very advanced armour and tech what in the hell is Obama thinking.......anyone have an answer??????

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Cuffem1069

09:02 PMJul 01 2009

The Middle Eastern people were fighting amongst eachother for thousands of years BEFORE we got there. They will be fighting amongst eachother for another thousand years AFTER we leave.

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Zany to the maxx

07:59 PMJun 30 2009

Is George really a bush or was Barbara fooling around on her old man

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(2)

Zany to the maxx

07:57 PMJun 30 2009

Hey Chase...has anyone seen George Bush's birth certificate. What is he hiding? You can see Obama's online and also see the birth announcements in the Hololulu newspapers the day after he was born. Was GHWBush really his father? What is G Bush hiding?

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Zany to the maxx

07:50 PMJun 30 2009

Hey Advmt... George Bush went into Iraq because of lies he knew to be untrue. He spent a trillion dollars there and the war cost the lives of Americans and many more maimed fo life. He wanted to go into Irag even before he became president. He manipulated the Constitition in order to torture people to get a link between Hussein and Al queda and the taliban after his WMD destruction theory was proven false. He claimed the Constitition gave him broard powers when in a war, but the Constitition does not give him any power except that he is the commander in chief diuringwar and since Congress never declared a war...it appears he was just seeking power to do what he wanted. He left office with two unfinished wars....for Obama to clean up

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Iraqi forces assumed formal control of Baghdad and other cities Tuesday after American troops handed over security in urban areas in a defining step toward ending the U.S. combat role in the country. A countdown clock broadcast on Iraqi TV ticked to zero as the midnight deadline passed for U.S. combat troops to finish their pullback to bases outside cities.