Departing Iraq: An ill-conceived war leaves Americans with unintended consequences [View all]

[AnOhioan]

"The United States formally ended its nearly nine-year war in Iraq on Thursday. The colors under which nearly 4,500 American troops died were "cased" in a Baghdad ceremony.

The remaining 5,500 U.S. troops will leave over the next two weeks, although U.S.-hired "contractors" will continue training Iraqi forces. "


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"He said less about the other impacts of a war entered into without adequate planning or forethought, or about the new contagions and patterns of terrorism and sectarian violence it unleashed.

Or about how this war -- despite the benefits it brought to Iraqis who otherwise might never have thrown off the dictatorial yoke of Saddam Hussein -- changed the equation of power in the Middle East in ways highly disadvantageous to U.S. interests. "


More at:

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/12/americans_never_should_have_ha.html