美國紀念伊拉克戰爭結束

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta says the dream of an independent and sovereign Iraq is now a reality, as the United States marked the end of its military mission in Iraq.

Panetta spoke Thursday at a ceremony in Baghdad, calling it a "historic occasion" for both the Iraqi and American people.

It comes weeks ahead of a December 31 deadline for the remaining U.S. soldiers to withdraw from Iraq. There were about 4,000 U.S. troops remaining in Iraq Thursday, down from as many as 170,000 at the height of the war.

Panetta said those soldiers will leave Iraq knowing they helped the Iraqi people begin a new chapter in their history that is "free from tyranny" and full of hope for prosperity and peace.

Nearly 4,500 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed since the war began in March 2003.

Panetta said Iraq is now responsible for directing its own future, but that the U.S. will remain a partner with a "significant" diplomatic presence in Iraq.美國國防部長帕內塔說，隨着美國紀念在伊拉克軍事使命的結束，一個獨立自主的伊拉克之夢已經變成實現。

帕內塔星期三在巴格達舉行的儀式上說，對伊拉克人民和美國人民來說這是“一個歷史性時刻”。

紀念儀式是在距離12月31日駐伊美軍撤離伊拉克還剩下幾個星期的時候舉行的。星期四駐紮在伊拉克的美軍人數還剩大約4000人。伊拉克戰爭中駐伊拉克美軍人數最多時多達17萬。

帕內塔說，離開伊拉克的美國軍人深知，他們爲伊拉克人民開啓一個歷史新篇章作出了貢獻，他們將伊拉克人民 從暴政中解放出來，使他們對繁榮與和平的伊拉克充滿希望。他說，很多美國和伊拉克人民都爲此“灑下了熱血”。

將近4500名美軍和數以萬計伊拉克人在2003年開始的伊拉克戰爭中喪生。

帕內塔說，伊拉克現在要爲自己的未來負責，但美國仍將是伊拉克的一個夥伴並且在伊拉克保持“顯著”外交力量。