Surrounded by the protection of barbed wire fences and cement barricades, the United States Forces — Iraq flag was furled for the last time during an unpretentious ceremony in Baghdad on Dec. 15. It has been a long nine years. At the war’s onset in 2003, troops were promised the only way to return home was through Baghdad. Nine years, two administrations, and multiple tours later, with mission finally accomplished, troops headed home to celebrate Christmas.
The holiday celebrations this year should extend to include honoring the many soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have sacrificed so much for the liberation of Iraq. Given the current political climate, it is unrealistic to expect the ticker tape parades of days-gone-by that took place to commemorate war’s end.
Frankly speaking, the word “victory” is all but missing from the vocabularies of those in leadership who originally voted against the surge leading to success in Iraq. Thankfully, sound wisdom prevailed. At this point in time, it seems it is safer for those who could not militarily strategize their way out of a paper bag to err to the side of caution. After all, the mission in Iraq is as accomplished as it can be — considering the commander in chief had promises to keep with an anti-war constituency, thereby closing down operations prematurely and against the wishes of commanders with boots on the ground.
At the moment, conditions look favorable for the people of Iraq, but enduring freedom in this country bordering the saber-rattling Islamic regime of Iran is a crapshoot at best. Albeit the existence of a free Middle East devoid an American presence there may be atop our president’s Christmas wish list, a wish it shall remain — until history does its part to tell us the rest of the story.