http://www.nationaljournal.com/natio...-bang-20111017
The Iraq War began with Pentagon officials boasting about an initial offensive that would “shock and awe” the enemy, then-President George W. Bush flying a military plane to an aircraft carrier for a high-profile address to thousands of cheering troops, and round-the-clock coverage on the nation’s TV networks. Eight and a half grueling years later, the deeply unpopular conflict is set to end with a whimper, not a bang.Washington and Baghdad’s failure to agree on a troop-extension deal means that virtually all of the 43,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq will stream out of the country over the next six weeks,bringing a quiet end to a conflict that began with so much bombast.Regardless of the final number, however, two things appear clearer than ever: The Iraq War is rapidly winding down, and no one – American or Iraqi – seems inclined to talk about it.
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