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By Momen Zellmi:
News sources have confirmed that the US military completed its withdrawal from Iraq on Saturday 18 December 2011. The Iraqi people have said goodbye to the US Army. Lwid Austin, commander of the US military in Iraq, urged the Iraqi people and government to make the right decisions for the benefit of the country.
The withdrawal process has divided people. The Iraqi media reported that, after the last US soldiers left Iraqi territory on Saturday, there was a big celebration in Falluja (the largest city in west Iraq’s Anbar Province), attended by delegations from different Iraqi provinces, during which American and Israeli flags were burnt. The demonstration included readings of poetry and verses, commemorating victims of American attacks: it is necessary to mention that the citizens of Falluja city witnessed and participated in strong resistance to US occupation from 2003 until 2008.
There are also many people who are unhappy with the withdrawal of US troops in Iraq, because they believe that Iraqi parties will now resume internal and sectarian conflicts: there is already ample evidence of this.
We the citizens of Iraq know that, in reality, without the US Army we could not have rooted out the dictatorship that was suppressing all elements of Iraqi society: Kurds, Shias, Sunnis, Turkmens, Christians.
In a poll on one Kurdish website (KomalNews), in which 2277 participated, 42.1% believe the US withdrawal will bring a great crisis to Iraq, 39.4% believe the process will give power back to the Iraqi people and 18.5% don’t know.
One of the most frightening things is how much now depends on neighboring countries. It’s clear that Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey can play a great role in influencing groups and parties in Iraq. Each one of them will pursue its own national interest, and this will create dangers for the Iraqi people.
We should be brave to watch out for future games being played in our country. Because the US was here for several years there will be more difficulties for us. We know that the US did not achieve all it wanted in Iraq because 4,500 American solidiers were killed and more than 32,000 injured. The Pentagon has stated that the USA spent 77 billion dollars in the war that was waged to topple the dictator Saddam Hussein, partly because he challenged their interests in the Arabic Gulf: as some political observers believe, the US came to Iraq because of its Dark Gold (oil).
Finally I believe that following the US troop withdrawal there will be a great security vacuum and now is the time for Iraqi parties to show their capabilities. How much of a role will they play in building a new Iraq? How self-confident will they be to resist the intrigues of Iraq’s neighbors and oppose every internal and external political conspiracy against the Iraqi people?
Momen Zellmi is a Kurdish Journalist
Copyright © 2011 Kurdistantribune.com
We could see for ourself the very first day of American withdraw from Baghdad,Maliki want to eat Hashmimi straight away and vis versa.Arab people in the middle and south of Baghdad they can not manage their affairs,they not used to .In Kurdistan is different our KRG doing much better year after year,will not make the big different of coz American have 15 Commandos under the name of American Ambassy staff.
correction 15 thousand Commandos
Well done Kak Momen, I liked your article. The points raised are relevant ones to the post-US withdrawal Iraqi situation. Few can be optimistic about it, yet its not impossible if there’s a will in the political elite to make things better.
My dear Brother Mumin I did red ur issue about Iraq u hit the nail, but its important to gesture the future and tensions….
Many thanks for all of you, my dear friends 🙂