US Forced To Leave Iraq

There has been widespread news reports that troops will be leaving Iraq. Largely unreported has been the negotiations with the Iraqi government to try to allow US troops to stay longer. The Iraqi government refused to extend the US troop presence, so the US is being to leave Iraq.

U.S. Troop Withdrawal Motivated by Iraqi Insistence, Not U.S. Choice

President Obama’s speech formally declaring that the last 43,000 U.S. troops will leave Iraq by the end of the year was designed to mask an unpleasant truth: The troops aren’t being withdrawn because the U.S. wants them out. They’re leaving because the Iraqi government refused to let them stay.