Iraqis wary as last US combat troops withdraw

Dubai: Iraqis braced themselves on Thursday as the last US combat brigade pulled out of Iraq, ahead of an August 31 deadline for the end of combat operations.

Just a week ago, Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces Babakir Zebari warned that his troops were not prepared to fill the void.

On Tuesday, Iraq witnessed the deadliest attack of the year, as a suicide bomber ripped apart an army recruitment centre, killing 61 people.

Iraq has been particularly unstable in recent months as a result of the political deadlock that has prevented the formation of a new government.

Under plans for Operation New Dawn, around 50,000 non-combatant US troops will remain in the country beyond the end of the month to train Iraqi security forces.

Speaking ahead of the pullout, US army spokesman Major General Stephen Lanza said that the Iraqi forces were more than capable of handling security after the US exit.

However, according to The New York Times, the US State Department will more than double the number of security contractors it employs to around 7,000 to compensate for the loss of US troops.

Many Iraqis who spoke to AFP expressed fear.

"It was after the Americans withdrew from our cities that the attacks began again," said Abu Ali, who works in the Interior Ministry. He was referring to a series of devastating bombings since June 2009. "If they withdraw completely, what will happen?"

Do you think the US troop pullout is in Iraq’s best interest? Do you think Iraq will become more or less secure?