Iraq celebrates departure of American troops

Top Iraqi and US leaders have attended a special ceremony in Baghdad, to mark an important moment in the withdrawal of the US troops from the war-torn country. Iraq will soon be only a memory for many US soldiers, as they carry out preparations ahead of a final withdrawal by the year’s end. On Thursday, leaders from the two nations attended a ceremony at Camp Victory, one of the last American bases in Baghdad. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani vowed that Iraq will adhere to the agreements signed with the United States. Jalal Talabani said, "As we bid farewell to our American friends who made a great contribution towards achieving change, we would like to express our gratitude to them and we would like to send our regards to the great American people, President Barack Obama and the Congress. And we vow that Iraq, which has achieved national sovereignty, will be committed to the agreements and it will be a friend to the United States of America." US Vice President Joe Biden said that the US pull-out would establish a new phase of relations between the two countries. Joe Biden said, "All of you sitting before me today have laid the foundation for a long-term strategic partnership between our nations. And also for an Iraq that against all odds can serve as a source of stability, not only for its people, but here in the region, and for years to come. I think it’s fair to say, almost no one thought that was possible a few years ago." There are only about 13,000 forces still in Iraq down from a one-time high of 170,000. US President Barack Obama announced last month that all US troops would come home at the end of the year, after talks failed to keep a small number of American troops in Iraq. The departure of the US military comes nearly nine years after the US invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. Almost 4,500 US troops have died since the invasion.