US President George W Bush made a farewell visit to Iraq on Sunday, just 37 days before he hands it over to the elected President Obama who has pledged to end the mission. President Bush credits the security gains in Iraq over the past year, attacks fell to the lowest record last month since 2003.
Since the war has begun, more than 4209 US soldiers have been killed, and there are approximately 149000 US troops in Iraq at the moment. A new US-Iraqi security pact will take effect next month. It tends to replace the UN mandate that gives the US-led coalition broad powers to conduct military operations and detain people without charge, if they were suspected to pose a security threat. The bilateral agreement changes some of the terms for all US troops to be withdrawn by the end of 2011 on conditions.
Obama has promised to bring all the troops back home from Iraq within a year after taking office, as long as commanders agree the withdrawal would not endanger Iraq's security and stability. More importantly, Obama stated it clear the drawdown in Iraq would allow him to shift the troops to Afghanistan, as 20000 or more forces are urgently needed and expected to sweep into southern Afghanistan next year.
Across the border, after the Mumbai strikes on November 26, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has just paid a visit to New Delhi and Pakistan to discuss the situation arising out of the attacks. Meanwhile, Germany said that banning of Jamaat-ud-Dawa is ‘not sufficient’ and Pakistan must act to prevent further Terror strikes.
Allies are determined to fight against the radical Taliban largely increased recently in the relative areas. Six Canadian soldiers have been killed respectively in two explosions on road west of Kandahar city over the past ten days. Comes up with a total of 103 soldiers have died on Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
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