An American soldier was killed by a rocket strike near Basra on Sunday, in the first US fatality since the last combat troops left Iraq.
The announcement came amid growing concern that the withdrawal will bring a further deterioration in Iraq’s security. In the past three months, there has been a spate of bombings and shootings in the centre and north of the country.
The Basra airport base, still home to about 4 000 US forces, experienced increasing rocket attacks as the withdrawal deadline approached. Two soldiers suffered minor wounds in a strike early last week, and rockets have hit Baghdad’s Green Zone almost daily for the past month.
US commander General Raymond Odierno told CNN that the remaining 50 000 troops, who will stay until next year, could move back to combat if there was “a complete failure of the security forces” or political divisions split the Iraqi security forces. “But we don’t see that happening,” he said.
The departure has left many Iraqis apprehensive, with some predicting a rapid regression towards sectarian fighting. Iyad Othman, a Fallujah policeman, said: “The situation will not improve. They are surrendering the country to the Iranians.” In Baghdad, the mood remains fearful.
Umm Ali (33) in Arasat, a well-todo suburb, said: “If 144 000 soldiers could not control the situation, how will things improve when there are only 50 000 and they stay in their camps? “Obama didn’t think about Iraq’s interests. He should wait for a new government to be formed, one that is strong and can establish the rule of law.”
Ali Fidel (40), an official in the agriculture ministry, dismissed US claims that Iraqi forces were ready to fill the void. He said: “Security has now deteriorated to what it was in 2008. I think it will collapse after August 31 and the country will be in chaos. The Iraqi forces don’t have the equipment to protect themselves, so how will they protect civilians?”
Muner Salam, 50, a doctor from Baghdad, said: “Since 2003, Iraq has been destroyed day by day. Political parties and officials are too busy feuding over how to improve their own positions. There’s no government, no infrastructure, and daily explosions targeting doctors and judges. I’m pessimistic.”
Odierno said it could take years to determine wether the US-led invasion was a success. “A strong, democratic Iraq will bring stability to the Middle East, and if we see an Iraq that’s moving towards that, two, three, five years from now, I think we can call our operations a success,” he said. —