Number of US troops in Iraq falls below 50,000

THE number of US troops in Iraq has fallen below 50,000 for the first time since the 2003 US-led invasion and ahead of the end-of-the-month deadline mandated by President Barack Obama.

The number is a watershed in the more than seven years that the US has been at war in Iraq. Under Obama’s plan, forces will no longer conduct combat operations but are instead to focus on training Iraqi troops.

“We’ve met our goal,” General Ray Odierno, the commanding general in Iraq, said yesterday. “But the story is not about 50,000. The story is that we are continuing to be committed to Iraq. But our commitment is going to change.”