U.S. Officially Ends War in Iraq

The U.S. military formally ended the war in Iraq this morning, during a ceremony in which they lowered the military flag.

This ceremony comes nearly nine years after the U.S. invaded to neutralize Saddam Hussein. Since that invasion, almost 4500 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis have died in the war.

The last 4000 of the U.S. troops will come home by the New Year.

"After a lot of blood spilled by Iraqis and Americans, the mission of an Iraq that could govern and secure itself has become real," U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said at the ceremony this morning.

Though the war is over, Iraq is still riddled with political and religious tension.

For more details, see the coverage on the Huffington Post.

What do you think of this news? How has the long war affected you? Do you know a soldier returning home?