U.S Military says 2,000 troops leaving Iraq

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080306/ts_nm/iraq_troops_dc (linked from www.iraq.net)

Summary: In this article, it says that their are 2,000 U.S. soldiers leaving Iraq as part of a reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq. These soldiers were part of the 30,000 who were sent last year to stop the Sunni-Shi'ite fighting, and to stop them from starting a civil war. Having the soldiers there, violence decreased by 60%, so now many soldiers are being drawn out of Iraq. U.S. forces moved out of large bases and set up patrol bases in neighborhoods, as part of a new counter-insurgency strategy. However, this made them more vulnerable to attack. The withdrawal of U.S. forces would have to come to a pause, unless Iraqi authorities are faster to improve basic living services and create jobs.

Reactions:
1) This article relates to the theme state-building, expansion, and government because Iraq is trying to create a stable government that keeps both the Sunnis and the Shi'ites happy. Iraq and the U.S. forces are doing all they can to not create a civil war and stop the Sunni-Shi'ite conflict.

2) When U.S. forces first entered Iraq, they helped to get Saddham Hussein out of power, who was a Sunni Muslim. Since Iraq has a larger Shi'ite population, the U.S. never even thought that the Shi'ites would take this opportunity to rise to power. This started fighting between Sunnis and Shi'ites and now the U.S. is trying to keep them from having a civil war.

3) This article is written by a man named Michael Holden. He is an American but is more of an outsider on the issue because he is not actually in Iraq, where this event is happening.

4) The author of this article shows a minimal amount of bias. He basically reports the issue like it is but he does quote U.S. generals and doesn't tell you an Iraqis side. This article is written in the American point of view, for the American audience.

5) A point of view that is missing in this article is from an Iraqi citizen. It would be helpful to see the point of view of an Iraq citizen to see how they feel about the U.S. troops being there. Do they feel that they are disrupting their society? Or helping it by preventing a civil war?

6) I feel that it is a good thing that some of the U.S. troops are being moved out of Iraq. The Iraqis don't want them their so why should they stay? The U.S. did good by getting Saddham Hussein out of power, but they created a whole different conflict. I think that the Iraqis can take over from here and they are doing a good thing by adding jobs and improving living standards to maybe distract the Sunnis and Shi'ites from fighting. This will not fully solve the conflict, but hopefully stall it for a while while a better solution is sought out. I think it would be best if the U.S. troops come home.