Troops Out of Iraq

This isn't what they told us before.

The number of U.S.soldiers in Iraq dipped Tuesday to 49,700, dropping below the 50,000 threshold ahead of the end-of-the-month deadline set by President Barack Obama. But the war is not yet over for the remaining troops, who will continue to put themselves in danger on counterterror raids and other high-risk missions that aren't called combat but can be just as deadly.

Until the end of 2011, U.S. troops will mostly focus on training Iraqi soldiers and police to take over the nation's still-shaky security. They will counsel Iraqi officials on how to endear themselves to their citizens, whether through handing out soccer balls to kids or building irrigation systems for farmers.

What's your opinion? When the White House announced the complete withdrawal of troops by the end of this month, did they word it carefully to allow for U.S. military, whom we will not refer to as combat troops, to teach Iraqis "how to endear themselves to their citizens, whether through handing out soccer balls to kids or building irrigation systems for farmers?" And let's not even talk about the special forces and private security guys who will remain.

I say if Obama thinks this is going to gain him some points in an apparent fulfilling of promises he's mistaken. This tricky double talk and dirty dealing will not fly, not with the media everywhere and the internet folks on it.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.