MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

President Obama:

Today I can report, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year. After nearly nine years America’s war in Iraq will be over.

Over the next two months our troops in Iraq, tens of thousands of them, will pack up their gear and board conveys for their journey home.

The last American solider will cross the border out of Iraq with their heads held high, proud of their success, and knowing that the American people stand united in our support for our troops.

That is how America’s military efforts in Iraq will end.

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We’ll honor our many wounded warriors and the nearly forty five hundred American Patriots and their Iraqi and coalition partners who gave their lives for this effort. And, finally I would note that the end of war in Iraq reflects a larger transition. The tide of war is receding.

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The United States is moving forward from a position of strength. The long war in Iraq will come to an end by the end of this year. The transition in Afghanistan is moving forward. And, our troops are finally coming home.