Operation Iraqi Freedom ends, Operation New Dawn begins

On March 20, 2003 Operation Iraqi Freedom began with our invasion of Iraq, last night after 7 years and 6 months the combat phase has come to an end.

The last full combat brigade left Iraq and traveled into Kuwait, leaving behind 50,000 US troops for training of Iraqi forces and for support.

The cost of the Iraqi war was expense in both lives and money, at the moment nearly $1 trillion has been spent and more than 4400 US soldiers lost their lives in Iraq, along with more than 35,000 wounded. The cost of medical care for our wounded soldiers is estimated to be at a minimum another $2 trillion over their lifetimes.

The new military phase has been named Operation New Dawn.

Under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed by former President Bush and the Iraqi Government in December 2008, all US combats troop had to be out of Iraq by the end of this month. All troops must be out of Iraq by December 31, 2011.

The Iraqi government can request that troops stay longer, if Iraq does make such a request, it would be up to President Obama to decide if we stay longer.

All Americans can be proud of our troops and the sacrifices they and their families have made over the last 7 ½ years.

As for the politicians that sent them there, that is another story.