Photo Gallery The Occupier Departs
Tallil Air Base near Nassiriya, Iraq (Aug. 15 photo): US combat troops are withdrawing from Iraq. A ceremony in Baghdad on Wednesday will formally mark their departure. Only 50,000 US troops will remain in the country, out of a total of over 170,000 soldiers that were in Iraq at the high point of the American deployment.
A displaced Iraqi Christian gives pistachios to a US soldier outside al-Saida monastery near Mosul (2008 photo): The Iraqi population fears the departure of US troops will lead to civil war.
A boy looks through a US soldier's rifle scope (April 2009 photo): Given the violence that is flaring up again, many Iraqis want their occupiers to stay longer.
A US soldier offers sweets to Iraqi boys during a patrol in Baghdad in February 2009. The current political vacuum is making the Iraqis fearful. The experiences of recent years have shown that chaos reigns wherever there is no strong state in charge.
A US soldier kisses a girl at a newly-opened swimming pool in Baghdad's al-Zahwra park (July 5, 2008 photo). Terrorist attacks are once again part of daily life. Last week, at least 56 Iraqis died at the hands of suicide bombers and snipers in around two dozen terrorist attacks.
US soldiers pack up equipment in Balad base as they prepare to leave Iraq.
Training Iraqi recruits (June 2008): Iraqi politicians are now saying that the Americans should have provided better training for local security forces ahead of their departure.
A Baghdad resident greets a US soldier (January 2008 photo): Many people in Baghdad are now saying that the US troops shouldn't leave.
Preparations for departure at Balad base: One officer compared the operation to moving an entire American city with 80,000 residents.
