The crossing brought a close to a final troop withdrawal drawn out over weeks of ceremonies in Baghdad and around Iraq, including a formal if muted flag-folding ceremony on Thursday, as well as visits by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, and a trip to Washington by Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki.
The last troop movement out of Iraq, which included about 110 vehicles and 500 soldiers, began in darkness. Around 2:30 a.m., the convoy snaked out of Contingency Operating Base Adder, near the southern city of Nasiriya, and headed toward the border.
The reaction among Iraqis was muted, as it had been for weeks as the Americans packed up. Live images of the last convoy arriving in Kuwait were not shown on local television, as they were around the world. Some Iraqis were unaware on Sunday that the last of the American, had left.
Some celebrated even before the final departure, even going so far to mark the departure with a celebratory dinner. However, many Iraqis fear what may come next, and the withdrawal came against the backdrop of political crisis in Baghdad. Some residents remain adamant that US forces should continue their stay in their country, especially Iran backed fighters continue to arrive into the country.
Despite the fears and celebrations, the war for the US appears to be over, and marks nearly a decade long campaign in one of the most hostile and violent areas in the Middle East.
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