KUWAIT: Departing US troops arrive at staging post in Kuwait on final leg home

Record ID: 350774

  • Title: KUWAIT: Departing US troops arrive at staging post in Kuwait on final leg home
  • Date: 1st September 2010
  • Summary: CAMP VIRGINIA, NORTHERN KUWAIT (AUGUST 31, 2010) (REUTERS) U.S. SOLDIERS ENTERING TENT (SOUNDBITE) (English), CAPTAIN RUSSELL VERNADO, SAYING "Right now what you're seeing is the out processing portion of the deployment. The soldiers will come here, they'll go through customs, they'll get their regulatory briefings. They'll go through a few other procedures, and then w
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kuwait
  • Country: Kuwait
  • Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVAA2AUM6QFVMVQ23L0UUJB73CX
  • Story Text: Hundreds of U.S. combat troops arrived in Camp Virginia in northern Kuwait, marking the end of their - and America's - combat operation in Iraq on Tuesday (August 31).
    The transit base is the final stop for U.S. servicemen before heading home to the United States.
    "Right now what you're seeing is the out processing portion of the deployment. The soldiers will come here, they'll go through customs, they'll get their regulatory briefings. They'll go through a few other procedures, and then we'll get those guys home," explained Captain Russell Vernado.
    "The mission isn't done yet, we've still got 50,000 troops over in Iraq. Once they come home, we'll be all good," pointed out Captain Weeb.
    The U.S. military recently cut its strength to under 50,000 troops in Iraq, helping to make good on Obama's promise to end the war launched 7-1/2 years ago by his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush.
    One of those "excited" to be going home was Lieutenant Steve Parry:
    "I'm excited to go back and see my family and everything. You know, it's good to be part of the closing stages of the U.S. combat role in Iraq and, you know, it's good to see that we've done something good there, and we're still doing something good there," he said.
    The United States handed over control of all combat duties to Iraqi security forces on Aug. 7 and will move into an advisory role on Sept. 1, training and supporting Iraq's army and police.
    Most U.S. military units began switching their focus to training and assisting Iraqi troops and police when they pulled out of Iraqi towns and cities on June 30, 2009.
    U.S. forces have not been legally able to conduct unilateral operations in Iraq since a bilateral security agreement came into force in January 2009, and the U.S. military began a steady cut in troop numbers, from a peak of 176,000 soldiers.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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