President Obama announced the full withdrawal of troops from Iraq, as previously scheduled, on 21 October 2011.[35] The U.S. retained an embassy in Baghdad[35] with some 17,000 personnel,[36] consulates in Basra, Mosul and Kirkuk, which have been allocated more than 1,000 staff each,[36] and between 4,000 and 5,000 defense contractors.[35] President Obama and al-Maliki outlined a broad agenda for post-war cooperation without American troops in Iraq during a joint press conference on 12 December 2011 at the White House. This agenda included cooperation on energy, trade and education as well as cooperation in security, counter-terrorism, economic development and strengthening Iraq's institutions. Both leaders said their countries would maintain strong security, diplomatic and economic ties after the last U.S. combat forces withdraw.[37][38]
President Barack Obama paid tribute to the troops who served in Iraq on 14 December 2011, at the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina. As the last of the American troops prepared to exit Iraq, he said the United States was leaving behind a "sovereign, stable and self-reliant" Iraq.[39] On 15 December, an American military ceremony was held in Baghdad putting a formal end to the U.S mission in Iraq.[40][41][42] The last 500 soldiers left Iraq on the morning of 18 December 2011.[1][2][3][4][5][6] At the time of withdrawal, the United States had one remaining soldier, Staff Sergeant Ahmed K. Altaie, still missing in Iraq since 23 October 2006, and had offered a $50,000 reward for his recovery.[43] On 26 February 2012, his death was confirmed.[44][45][46]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal_of_U.S._troops_from_Iraq#Full_withdrawa l_.282011.29
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