IRAQ - Thousands Celebrate Troops Leaving

[DinarBot]

FALLUJA, Iraq | Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:30pm EST

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqis burned American flags, brandished banners and thronged the streets of the western city of Falluja to celebrate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the former al Qaeda stronghold and site of some of the Iraq war's fiercest battles.

Some 3,000 people flooded the mainly Sunni city carrying Iraqi flags, banners with "Falluja: The City of Resistance" printed on them, and photos of Falluja residents killed by U.S. forces after the 2003 U.S-led invasion.

Part of the crowd burned several U.S. flags in their celebrations over the American withdrawal.

"Celebrations mark a historical day for the city of Falluja and we should remember in pride the martyrs who sacrificed their blood for the sake of this city," Dhabi al-Arsan, deputy governor of Anbar province, told the crowd.

Falluja, a main city in the western desert province of Anbar, served as a base for Iraqi fighters after the invasion, and witnessed two major conflicts in 2004. U.S. troops used overwhelming force, tanks, fighter jets and helicopter gunships to crush insurgents there.

Hundreds of Iraqis were killed in the fighting and thousands were forced to flee their homes.

"I'm glad to see the Americans are leaving Iraq. It's only now we truly feel the taste of freedom and independence," said Ahmed Jassim, 30, a taxi driver as he waved the Iraqi flag.

"We will not see American forces anymore. They remind us of strife and destruction."

Nearly nine years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, Washington plans to end its military presence and pull out the remaining 5,500 U.S. troops before December 31.

Only a small contingent of civilian trainers and fewer than 200 U.S. military personnel will remain in Iraq.

Many Iraqis await the U.S. withdrawal with relief and hopes for a better future, despite fears that sectarian tensions bubbling beneath the surface will return just as Iraq struggles to end years of war and violence.

Overall violence in Iraq has dropped sharply since the dark days of sectarian slaughter in 2006-07, but bombings and killings remain common.

"After the Americans leave we want to see a united Iraq, we do not want disputes," Hameed Jadou, a Sunni cleric, told the crowds. "Whoever says this is an Iraqi Sunni, Shi'ite, Kurdish, or Turkman, is using the terms brought by the occupier."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/14/us-iraq-celebration-idUSTRE7BD1OH20111214

[Heavyduty053]

Since they appreciated what our boys did for them so much we should have at least reinstalled saddam's statue back in its place to remind them of why we were there.

Edited December 14, 2011 by Markinsa
Removed Quote

[TonyDownTheShore]

Very.......good.......news........Dinar........Bot..........you............rock.......or.....should.......I......say........roll.........ha........ha.......ha........

[Elixirbaby]

Great time to announce an RV. Keep the excitement going. Just sayin.

Go RV

[fastarnie]

Since they appreciated what our boys did for them so much we should have at least reinstalled saddam's statue back in its place to remind them of why we were there.

Yea, and all the hitching posts where they would tie your ankles to. Then beat the bottoms of the feet.

[Blessed4ever]

I am thrilled that our troops are coming home! All of their families must be ECSTATIC!! What a beautiful Christmas gift!

BUT.. for them to burn our flag? What the heck? What kind of mental block do these people have? Do they not have a friggin clue what our troops/US did for them and their freedom? Ungrateful BA$!ARDS!

It really makes me so furious. Our men and women gave their lives for them...

[SPRAYERDUDE]

With all the blood shed by Americans in Iraq, this just shows Iraq's true colors and disrespect. If anyone should be burning a countries flag, an Iraqi flag should be burned all over the streets of the U.S.

[DinarCowboy12]

The article says part of the crowd. There will always be a small percentage who try to incite hatred, it has even happened with the OCCUPY movement. The majority of Iraqi's love America every single one I have met would give you the shirt off their back.

[Stryker365]

Thanks DinarBot.........don't kill the messenger folks he is just posting the news!

If I see one thing good out of this article and let me tell you it was hard but I see that they may come together as a nation and make a difference in the ME. When we were kids in the early 60's and living in Germany the Germans did not like us living there even tho we took their insane dictator out but to them we were occupiers.

Just another guys view on this....it is so hard not to get angry when someone burns our flag but we are better than that, we are Americans!!!......

[Markinsa]

We should have just leveled the city... How about we ask American Companies to Boycott their city and not do business with them?

-

[Dinars4sale]

Since they appreciated what our boys did for them so much we should have at least reinstalled saddam's statue back in its place to remind them of why we were there.

EXACTLY!!

They can have their camel dung country back. I'll be laughing all the way to the bank.

[easyrider]

I am thrilled that our troops are coming home! All of their families must be ECSTATIC!! What a beautiful Christmas gift!

BUT.. for them to burn our flag? What the heck? What kind of mental block do these people have? Do they not have a friggin clue what our troops/US did for them and their freedom? Ungrateful BA$!ARDS!

It really makes me so furious. Our men and women gave their lives for them...

Do you honestly think they care? Most hated us as we invaded most hate us now over there. Very few actually appreciate what we did IMHO.

We should have just leveled the city... How about we ask American Companies to Boycott their city and not do business with them?

-

haha yea right money is money they could care less about the citizens of america they see a gold mine all integrity goes out the window just like what is happening here in the good ole USA it sucks but i believe its the truth.

[randalln]

We should have just leveled the city... How about we ask American Companies to Boycott their city and not do business with them?

-

I agree all of that city where bad people should have brought it down and rebuilt a soccer field

[Carrello]

The article says part of the crowd. There will always be a small percentage who try to incite hatred, it has even happened with the OCCUPY movement. The majority of Iraqi's love America every single one I have met would give you the shirt off their back.

Thank you, Cowboy. I am so glad you were able to add that, and you are right. When you have a gathering of people, the larger it gets, the more the kooks come out to spoil it for the others.

[InNoViSiOn]

I remember I saw these photos for the first time a few years ago before I joined the military myself. These images impacted me a lot. They were taken in Fallujah by a journalist with the Marines during the invasion. Maybe If more people saw these images they would realize war isn't pretty and the sacrifices people make. The military uses this as a example for TCCC combat life savor course. I'm not trying to offend anyone, I just thought others would be impacted by these images as much as I am.

[uncirculd]

Celebrate by burning our flag! I still do not get why this is so excepted. RUDE!

[sassytexan]

FALLUJA, Iraq | Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:30pm EST

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqis burned American flags, brandished banners and thronged the streets of the western city of Falluja to celebrate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the former al Qaeda stronghold and site of some of the Iraq war's fiercest battles.

Some 3,000 people flooded the mainly Sunni city carrying Iraqi flags, banners with "Falluja: The City of Resistance" printed on them, and photos of Falluja residents killed by U.S. forces after the 2003 U.S-led invasion.

Part of the crowd burned several U.S. flags in their celebrations over the American withdrawal.

"Celebrations mark a historical day for the city of Falluja and we should remember in pride the martyrs who sacrificed their blood for the sake of this city," Dhabi al-Arsan, deputy governor of Anbar province, told the crowd.

Falluja, a main city in the western desert province of Anbar, served as a base for Iraqi fighters after the invasion, and witnessed two major conflicts in 2004. U.S. troops used overwhelming force, tanks, fighter jets and helicopter gunships to crush insurgents there.

Hundreds of Iraqis were killed in the fighting and thousands were forced to flee their homes.

"I'm glad to see the Americans are leaving Iraq. It's only now we truly feel the taste of freedom and independence," said Ahmed Jassim, 30, a taxi driver as he waved the Iraqi flag.

"We will not see American forces anymore. They remind us of strife and destruction."

Nearly nine years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, Washington plans to end its military presence and pull out the remaining 5,500 U.S. troops before December 31.

Only a small contingent of civilian trainers and fewer than 200 U.S. military personnel will remain in Iraq.

Many Iraqis await the U.S. withdrawal with relief and hopes for a better future, despite fears that sectarian tensions bubbling beneath the surface will return just as Iraq struggles to end years of war and violence.

Overall violence in Iraq has dropped sharply since the dark days of sectarian slaughter in 2006-07, but bombings and killings remain common.

"After the Americans leave we want to see a united Iraq, we do not want disputes," Hameed Jadou, a Sunni cleric, told the crowds. "Whoever says this is an Iraqi Sunni, Shi'ite, Kurdish, or Turkman, is using the terms brought by the occupier."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/14/us-iraq-celebration-idUSTRE7BD1OH20111214

They are so ungrateful for what the US did for them. We should have distroyed them all, so that Iraq could start over fresh with new blood

I know that sounds mean, but we would never here in our country burn another countries flag and be hopeful that they are gone. They should be wondering what is going to take place next. They may end up in the same position they were in before the war.

[OregonHopeful]

So, since they don't like us so much, quit using our dollars............ RV and use your own!!!!!

[oneremedy]

Ungrateful punk a$$ beaches! Im sure they will end up siding with syria and/or iran in the future so we will get our chance to level their a$$ when they try some crap with us.

[Carrello]

So, since they don't like us so much, quit using our dollars............ RV and use your own!!!!!

There you go! I like the way you think.

[rUfUsT]

So, since they don't like us so much, quit using our dollars............ RV and use your own!!!!!

AMEN, my brother! Gave you a +. Merry Christmas to all! And to all a good night!!!

[RV on my mind]

I say we drop a couple of HUGE bombs on the way out just to remind them not to F*** with us.

[FuzzyUzzy]

I remember I saw these photos for the first time a few years ago before I joined the military myself. These images impacted me a lot. They were taken in Fallujah by a journalist with the Marines during the invasion. Maybe If more people saw these images they would realize war isn't pretty and the sacrifices people make. The military uses this as a example for TCCC combat life savor course. I'm not trying to offend anyone, I just thought others would be impacted by these images as much as I am.

In relation to your pictures i thought you may like this.

[pattyangel]

I know this may sound out of content, but there are good human beings in all countries.

We all don't agree with how our governments run our countries. You have the radicals, the instigators, the greedy, they are running our countries.

Sure it makes us angry and resentful, but if we continue on this path, we're just on a path to destruction. Changes have to be made and needs to start within ourselves.

That's all I have to say about this.

Don't bash me, I'm on your side. We all want good.

[Grammiedinar]

One never appreciates what they HAD until it has gone.... I hope we have learned a valuable lesson in the loss of the lives of our loved ones and do not repeat this mistake when the pleading starts again to save their ungrateful country from themselves.....