Actually, we are not leaving Iraq, entirely.

As a prerequisite comment,  understand that Ron Paul would have "resolved" this problem by simply pulling the troops out and letting the remaining 17,000 to their own devises.  Keep that in mind as you continue reading. 

This past December 18,  we observed the border crossing of the last of the American forces leaving Iraq and moving into Kuwait, where they wait for their return home or to new military assignments.  What was left behind were 17,000 folks working to support the US Embassy and certain unmentioned Iraqi concerns critical to U.S. interests within that country.  Most of those "left behind" are citizens of countries other than the United States,  but working on our behalf and for the State Department.  It is estimated that only 600 or so are actually part of the remaining US Embassy.  

I hesitate to attach a number to the mercenary forces needed to protect the remaining contingency,  but it is estimated to be somewhere in the range of 5,500 personnel.  Understand that this number comes from reports generated back in February of this year.  The final number could be less,  but it does not appear that it will be more.  

According to Stars and Stripes,  our Ambassador to Iraq,  James Jeffrey,  is currently working on an umbrella agreement that will offer an increased degree of legal protection for the remaining mercenary force.  I have no idea if the State Department will release the final negotiated agreement to the public (fine with me if it doesn't,  btw),  but the Department is trying to make up for the  lost opportunities of the past year and a half.  

Hillary is our Secretary of State.  It is not likely that,  without her,  there would have been any effort at all as to such an agreement. 

The fault of the Department's failure in not having an agreement in place at the time of the final withdrawal lies, squarely,  on the shoulders of Barack Obama.

 It is apparent to me,  that the current decision regarding a residual force was not made before April of this year and was a political decision,  at that.  Prior to that time,  all parties concerned,  believed that a five to ten thousand member force would be left behind and it would be a US military force. But Obama chose to fire up his campaign, instead,  and another diplomatic failure was created out of thin air.    Time will tell as to whether Jeffrey, under Hillary's oversight,  can solve the problems ignored by our Novice Commander In Chief.  

Better late than never,  I suppose.