BREAKING NBC/MSNBC SIMULCAST: Troops leaving Iraq - KO anchoring MSNBC BREAKING coverage...

[Subdivisions]

Developing...combat troops leaving Iraq by convoy. Rachel Maddow is LIVE in Iraq.

Richard Engel reporting from convoy...

Just received call from my mother...cousin is part of this action. I'm proud of her. We're waiting to welcome you home, cuz.

[derby378]

1. Leaving behind how many "support" troops?

:shrug:

[eleny]

2. 50K

[derby378]

7. That's what I was afraid of

The occupation continues - it's just more low-key now.

[The Straight Story]

4. As of Yesterday my son is still slated to go there in a few weeks (nt)

[readmoreoften]

11. Is he 3rd ACR or is he with another division/brigade?

[The Straight Story]

15. He just got re-assigned this week, His company is leaving in a week, but

He won't be for a few weeks as his wife is having a baby in about 10 days, so the assigned him to another unit that ships out 2nd week of Sept. He is at Ft. Hood, not sure of his division.

[readmoreoften]

20. He is likely 3rd ACR. I'm sorry.

I hope he isn't but I haven't heard of other divisions/brigades leaving from the Hood. He'll be in my thoughts :(

[derby378]

12. Oh, no...

How long is his tour there? I hope he stays safe. :hug:

[The Straight Story]

18. 9-12 months - BUT because he is staying behind he may end up in Afghanistan

His group leaves soon, but his son is being born so he was going to leave a few weeks late. They assigned him to another group and there is a small chance he won't go until Jan, but then it will be Afghanistan. He would rather go to Iraq and get his tour done then he won't have too much time left to serve.

[Chipper Chat]

3. Yeah, but...............I was watching Cenk.

Couldn't MSNBC have let Cenk finish? NBC News is covering it. Preempt the Tweetpeat and LET CENK FINISH. end of rant

[Subdivisions]

I like Cenk too. Who knows why they do the stupid crap they do. n/t

[Poboy]

22. I concur, nt

[Auggie]

5. Yes!

[readmoreoften]

6. Meanwhile, combat brigades deploying from Ft. Hood to Iraq for the 3rd time...

http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=2259

About to ship off for the 3rd time. Total drawdown will be to 98K, then to 50K, with hired contractors to replace the missing soldiers. Is permanent occupation with a partially privatized army a "withdrawal"? Not in my book. It's not like we're ending the occupation.

If Bush was upping the number of contractors in Iraq and relocating soldiers to Afghanistan, I hardly think any Democrat would tolerate a "Mission Accomplished" posture...

I seriously doubt this situation would be one iota different if anyone else was in charge.

[Barack2theFuture]

8. what is the definition of 'combat'?

What is the definition of "support"?

I am glad for *every* soldier who is leaving!

[gateley]

13. Rachel is there, and she always seems to answer questions like those in ways

I can understand.

[Subdivisions]

14. 'I am glad for *every* soldier who is leaving!'

So am I and that's what I am concetrating on right now, not the status of troops that will still be in country. My cousin is among those coming home and for that I am grateful.

[Barack2theFuture]

21. +1

:-)

[readmoreoften]

23. That's great that he's coming home.

I'm disturbed about those headed over. Especially since they're sending combat brigades to Iraq and now we're no longer in combat? I can't wrap my head around that. 3rd ACR has been treated rather poorly and they're being sent out again--from what I hear they're deploying people with PTSD and TBI. Many local soldiers' rights groups are up in arms about it.

[Botany]

9. summer 2010 as per what Obama said .....

At this point, I think we can be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in

[shraby]

10. YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

A promise kept.

[readmoreoften]

17. Yes, a promise kept for those who accept surface appearances and rhetorical styling

but, 50K troops supplemented by X# of Blackwater/XE thugs is not the end of of an occupation--it's a rebranding.

[Barack2theFuture]

19. +1

[me b zola]

Exactly my thoughts

But I am happy for every soldier that is returning.

[me b zola]

25. Exactly my thoughts

But I am happy for every soldier that is returning.

[Poboy]

26. Privatizing the war, and using 'liberal' MSNBC to prevent

the criticism. Its like 'embedding'. Give MSNBC the exclusive, and they will comply in catapulting the propaganda.
Just what ARE the exact numbers of 'private contractors' still there?

[nashville_brook]

29. eggsactly.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

31. "surface appearances and rhetorical styling."

Ahh.

unlike all the people who demanded we get combat troops out of Iraq when Bush was president, but now really don't care when it actually happens.

[steve2470]

16. U.S. ending combat operations in Iraq from msnbc.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38744453/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

CAMP VIRGINIA, Kuwait — The last U.S. combat troops were crossing the border into Kuwait on Thursday morning, bringing to a close the active combat phase of a 7½-year war that overthrew the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein, forever defined the presidency of George W. Bush and left more than 4,400 American service members and tens of thousands of Iraqis dead.

The final convoy of the Army’s 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Lewis, Wash., were about to enter Kuwait shortly after 1:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. Wednesday ET), carrying the last of the 14,000 U.S. combat forces in Iraq, said NBC’s Richard Engel, who has been traveling with the brigade as it moved out this week.

“We won! We won! It’s over! We brought democracy to Iraq!” a soldier shouted as fellow soldiers celebrated their arrival in Kuwait this week.

For Staff Sgt. Heon Hong of Guam, the brigade’s departure, which began over the weekend, marked the end of his third tour of duty in Iraq.

[Turborama]

24. Guess who isn't covering it...

Faux, of course.

[Subdivisions]

28. They will, once they get their plan together to make President Obama look like

he's leaving the remaining troops vulnerable and he's cutting and running, which they will say bush did not do.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

32. CNN isn't either

Quite frankly, the administration acted like they ended things months ago, yet many will remain anyway.

[tandot]

27. Good news.

I hope they all can come home soon :(

[Turborama]

30. Al Jazeera English are covering it too, if anyone wants an alternative angle (live stream link)

Here: http://www.livestation.com/channels/3-al-jazeera-english-english

[madrchsod]

33. i hope to who ever that iraq does`t turn into...

a hell hole of a civil/religous war. the signs are not looking good.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

34. Even Ray Charles could have seen that coming

Too bad Chimp Boy, Dead Eye Dick and his merry band of war profiteers didn't care.