Iraq the beginning of the end.

Nearly six years since the allies invaded,a new President went some way to forfilling his election pledge to bring the troops home.

Today Barack Obama announced that comabat missions will end in August 2010 and the rest of the troops will be home by the end of 2011.

4,200 US troops have died in the combat so far and putting a figure on the Iraqi casualties will probably never accurately happen.

The statement follows a review of the operations in Iraq which began the day that Obama entered the White House.

There are 107,000 troops in Iraq and 67,000 will have gone by nect summer leaving the balance in non combative duties.

Of course the success of the withdrawal will depend on the Iraqi people.Since George Bush's surge in 2007 there has been a fall in the violence allied to the switch of the Sunni tribal leaders to the American side.

However there are still issues to be resolved.Relations with the Kurds in the north as well as a lasting peace between Sunni and Shia in the south.

But for now let's rejoice that this foolish venture now seems to be coming to an end