A few moments ago, the United States wrapped up its combat mission in Iraq.
That’s a pretty major statement. The United States went to war with Iraq in 2003, toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime and has been involved in a combat role for since. During the years at war, more than 4,400 U.S. Service Members have died and more than 30,000 were wounded. Estimates for the number of Iraqis dead varies widely, but estimates range in the hundreds of thousands to more than 1 million dead.
Tonight, the U.S. officially ends its combat role and only 50,000 U.S. troops will remain in Iraq in an advisory role and secondary military force only to be called on at the behest of the Iraqi government.
According to some estimates more than 70,000 contractors will also remain in Iraq. Those contractors will provide “security” and will work to help rebuild the country’s infrastructure.
These numbers are important to note because even though the United States service members will no longer be in a combat role, an American presence will still be maintained in Iraq.
Read more on the change in the U.S. role here.
President Obama will be addressing the nation from the Oval Office tonight and you should watch to see and understand how the U.S. role in Iraq will change
