Homeward Bound

      Are American troops ever coming home?  This is a question that all Americans have asked themselves at one point.  The withdrawal of our troops from Iraq has been a contentious issue since the beginning of the war.  In a survey, 55% of Americans agreed that the war was a mistake and 51% were in favor of having troops withdrawn from their stations.  Public opinion on the war has changed drastically, making the withdrawal of troops highly possible.  In April 2007, Congress passed a bill for Iraq that set a deadline for American troop withdrawal; but President Bush disapproved of this bill shortly after. The president said troops will begin to withdraw until the end of August 2010, and troops left behind will remain in Iraq until December 31, 2011.  December 31, 2011 is an important date because American troops will completely withdraw from Iraq.  This deadline was set under an agreement the Bush administration signed with the Iraq government in 2009. 
     The ending of our war relies heavily on the conduct of the people in Iraq. The faster our troops maintain stability amongst the Iraqi people, the faster they can come home. Troops cannot police Iraqi civilian's behavior frequently until the area is completely safe.  The commitment of U.S. combatant troops in Iraq is declining and our military tactics are changing.  Instead of using brute force, our troops are committed to sustaining peace amongst groups.  Is reducing violence a positive way for American troops to get through to the people of Iraq?  This tactic seems to be working because the Pakistan government supports our troops efforts. 
     There were 142,000 American troops in Iraq, and Obama pledged to have all of these troops withdrawn within a 16 month period; but the deadline has been extended.  The troops that were withdrawn from Iraq have a chance of being redeployed to Afghanistan.  There is also a chance that troops may be redeployed to Iraq if the country becomes unstable.  More violent outbreaks occurred when troops began to withdraw.  Without the force of American troops, the population is in a state of fear. Our troops have been training Iraqi police and army forces so they can defend themselves adequately against militant groups; such as the al-Qaeda.  Their effort has helped Iraq security forces maintain their defense.  Without the U.S. troops in Iraq, the country would be in a worse state than what it is presently. Until our troops are completely withdrawn, they will continue to service the people in Iraq so there may be peace in their future.  There are pros and cons when dealing with the withdrawal of troops. If all troops were to withdraw, chaos may break loose in Iraq.  If a limited amount of troops were to remain in Iraq, problems would decline and a sustained peace may be enacted. A question one can ask themselves is: will the war in Iraq end once all the troops are gone?  American's won't know the outcome of Iraq until our troops are completely withdrawn. All Americans can do now is hope for a better tomorrow.