By LOLITA C. BALDOR and REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press
BAGHDAD – Nearly nine years after American troops stormed across the Iraq border in a blaze of shock and awe, U.S. officials quietly ended the bloody and bitterly divisive conflict here Thursday, but the debate over whether it was worth the cost in money and lives is yet unanswered.
While many of the speeches painted a picture of victory – for both the troops and the Iraqi people now set on a path for democracy – the gnawing questions remain: Will Iraqis be able to forge their new government amid the still stubborn sectarian clashes. And will Iraq be able to defend itself and remain independent in a region fraught with turmoil and still steeped in insurgent threats.
Stark reminders of the fragile and often violent nature of the situation in Iraq engulfed the 45-minute ceremony. It was tucked into fortified corner of the airport, ringed with concrete blast walls. And on the chairs – nearly empty of Iraqis – were tags that listed not only the name of the VIP assigned to the seat, but the bunker they should move to in case of an attack.