Few celebrations as Iraq war officially ends

Updated September 1, 2010 12:22:22

After seven long years, the war in Iraq is officially over - at least for the United States.

Fifty thousand American troops will remain in Iraq, to help advise and train Iraqi forces but few Iraqis are celebrating. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have died since the conflict began.. and Iraq's security forces are no match for the insurgent groups which continue to wage regular terrorist attacks.

Presenter: Anne Barker
Speakers: Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi Prime Minister; Sa'ad Sahan, Iraqi citizen

AMERICAN SOLDIER: We won. It's over.

ANNE BARKER: American troops had good reason to celebrate as the last combat brigade left Iraq late last month.

AMERICAN SOLDIER: We're going home.

SOLDIERS: Woohoo!

The US President Barack Obama will mark their achievements in an address to the nation in just a few hours, which will officially end the seven-year military operation.

Even Iraq's incumbent Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, was celebrating an historic day.

(Nouri al-Maliki speaking)

"Iraq today is sovereign and independent," he said. "August 31st will remain an immortal day, cherished by the Iraqi people."

ANNE BARKER: To ordinary Iraqis though, talk of independence and stability could seem premature.
Some, like this man Iltifat, says with 50,000 US troops still in the country, Iraq remains under its control.

(Iltifat speaking)

"We are still an occupied country," he says "the US army is still here and it will remain occupied. The country is also too weak."

ANNE BARKER: Iraq is certainly weak on the political front. It's had no real government for six months, since elections in March produced an inconclusive result.

The rival parties are still bickering over how to share power. And Iraqis, like Sa'ad Sahan, despair of the country's future.

SAAD SAHAN (translated): We wanted democracy and we went out with our families to vote despite the danger. But after we had voted there was no gratitude or respect from the leaders for the people that voted. They should have formed the government a month after the elections.

ANNE BARKER: Seven-and-a-half years ago, the US invaded Iraq with lofty promises of freedom and prosperity. Since then at least 100,000 Iraqis have died in the war. One-and-a-half million families have been displaced. Suicide bombings and shootings still kill hundreds of people every month.

Iraq's own security forces are no match for the insurgent groups responsible. And many, like Baghdad resident Abu Waleed, blame the US for the ongoing chaos.

(Abu Waleed speaking)

"We want to get rid of them as soon as possible," he says, "on condition they first restore security because they're the ones who shook the country."

Even daily life in Iraq is as much a struggle as ever. Dysfunctional government has led to non-functioning services. Electricity is almost a luxury, only a fraction of houses have running water, and unemployment is rife.

Some Iraqis say the US combat forces are leaving too soon.

(Johanna Mohammed speaking)

"Because of their withdrawal" says this woman, Johanna Mohammed, "chaos is happening everywhere. We have reached the point where enough is enough."