thedailywhat:

Troop Drawdown of the Day: President Obama announced today that the United States will withdraw nearly all its troops from Iraq by year’s end.

“The rest of our troops in Iraq will come home at the end of the year,” Obama said at an afternoon press briefing. “After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over.”

The Obama administration and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government were unable to reach an agreement concerning a more robust US military presence, solidifying the decision to leave. Some 150 American troops will remain behind to guard the US Embassy compound in Baghdad.

The New York Times has posted a handy infographic showing the number of troops serving in both the Iraqi and Afghani theaters since 2001.

As for Headline of the Day, that honor goes to Fark: “Obama eliminates thousands of American jobs and hands them to foreign nation.”

[ap / nyt / fark.]

(Source: thedailywhat)