involvement in iraq. we want to take you now live to baghdad, where you are looking at live pictures of the casing of the colors ceremony in the iraqi capital. it has been almost nine years since the u.s. invaded that country. and in that time, at least 128,000 iraqis have been killed in conflict situations. more than 4400 u.s. troops have also died. and now at this very moment,ed american military command in the country is closing a chapter in the history of both iraq and the u.s. armed forces with this somber ceremony. it is such a big contrast to the explosions that marked the beginning of the war in iraq, back in march of 2003. >> now, this moment does, in a very real sense, mark the end of a difficult period, not only for the u.s. military, but for the people of iraq. damon has covered the key moments of the iraq war and joins us from baghdad. you know, arwa, you've seen it all. i was there with you for some of it. and looking on, you realize the tremendous suffering that the iraqi people have had. but on a day like this, do they have misgivings about what they're seeing? >> well, jim, as soon as the images are up, this is the start when the iraqis are hearing about this. the casing of the colors, the final step as the u.s. begins to complete its withdrawal of its own forces. set to take place by the end of this month. only a few thousand troops still remaining in-country but when you discuss the end of the war for the iraqis, there's a lot of conflicting emotions. people are still incredibly torn about the american role in their country. many continue to remain uncertain about their own future here. exactly what is going it take place once the u.s. military leaves. many feel as if their government is still not sufficiently unified, still not capable of providing them with what they're going to need. and there are great concerns about what sort of entity is going to fill the potential security backing that the u.s. leaves behind this is right now a certainly very symbolic moment, for the u.s. military in iraq. they, too, have sacrificed a lot. a lot of the shortages that we've been out with, have seen their friends dying next to them. a lot of them sharing their own conflicting emotion as well during this moment. jim? >> arwa, a lot of them aren't even back inside their own homes inside the country and many are living outside the country. this conflict is still not over. the ceremony marks the departure of u.s. troops, but still not over. >> in many ways it marks the chapter of the war for the iraqis themselves. there are millions displaced, still continue to be displaced. many don't feel it's safe enough for them to go back home. many have been asking us how the u.s. can declare it a success, if the country is not secure them enough for them to be able to go back home or to be able to even have a semblance of a normal life. iraqis, just about every family in this country, jim, has lost a loved one in this war. that is why they cannot define these moments as being victory or success. that is why they cannot say that they are glad or they are displeased with the u.s. military. even invaded their own country. because for them, the war is not that black and white. i was recently speaking with a woman who had lost her husband back in an explosion in 2007. she has managed on the surface to begin to put her life back together. but she also has a lot of questions. and the question that she has, we hear echoed by many iraqis, she wants to know why. why did the u.s. make so many mistakes in iraq. so many mistakes that iraqis and the u.s. have had to pay for with their own blood. >> we just watched sox of the generals coming in. and i think there's some frustration. not only in the iraqi side, but on the u.s. military side. i can remember talking with people who said, we're going to get the electricity back on in iraq. and in many ways, people thought that the electricity and the grid, the way that it delivered power, and life really to so many parts of iraq, would be a major test of what the u.s. could achieve. what's the status today? >> i can tell you, jim, in baghdad, most households are getting around two hours of city power today. and that's something to think about. most people rely, if they can afford it, on generators. every single neighborhood has a generator in it. and the person who owns the generator effectively runs the neighborhood. like mini mafias. you drive through the streets and all you see is a tangle of cabals strewn across alleyways and people using generator as a marker of success. how is it that the u.s. being such a massive superpower, that it was unable to do something so simple like bring the electricity back. another iraqi i was speaking to, a woman, she took me to see a manicured lawn inside one of her friend's homes. she wanted us to see that. because pointing to the perfectly clipped grass and the flowers, she said, this is what we thought america was going to bring to us. instead, she said, step outside, look to the streets of baghdad, look to the filth. this is what america is leaving behind. >> we'll hear, there's more perspectives in all of this. arwa damon has seen it all. she'll be with us across the next hour or 90 minutes. arwa, great to have you there. i'll turn it back over to zain in london. we're going to continue to watch this live ceremony. meanwhile, at fort bragg, north carolina, the u.s. president, barack obama, marked this historic moment, the end of the u.s. military operations in iraq, with american soldiers. on wednesday, as the president welcomed home some of the most recent troops to arrive home, he reflected on the pull-out. >> today i've come to speak to you about the end of the war in iraq. over the last few months, the final work of leaving iraq has been done. dozens of bases with american names that house thousands of american troops have been closed down or turned over to the iraqis. thousands of tons of equipment have been packed up and shipped out. tomorrow the colors of united states forces iraq, the colors you fought under, will be formally cased in a ceremony in baghdad. then they'll begin their journey across an ocean back home. >> all of the american troops with the exception of a small contingent of noncombat soldiers plan to be out of iraq by the end of this month. but they're not all coming straight home. a lot of them are going to be heading to kuwait, and that's where we find martin savidge. martin, give us an idea of the logistical operation here and the weight that iraq is playing? >> zain, hello to you, it's been a huge logistics issue for the u.s. military. it goes back to 2008. they knew at that time in the agreements signed with the iraqi government that there would be an eventual withdrawal of u.s. forces. it was speeded up somewhat by the president's announcement that it would come at the end of this year. but the planning was basically there. they describe it as the biggest logistics move that the u.s. military has been involved with since at least the vietnam war. they describe hundreds of thousands of vehicles, millions of pieces of equipment and then on top of that, tens of thousands of troops that all had to be drawn down responsibly. it isn't like you tell everyone, all right, just go home wherever you feel like it. there is a plan, you want to make sure you shut down the laundry at the right time. but you don't get rid of the security before you shut down the laundry. so that's what require the careful planning and timing. kuwait, this is the main transit point for most of them coming out of iraq. the convoys end up here. here they sort through the gear and equipment. turn in the vehicles and then eventually it is from here that they catch a flight back to the united states. right now it's relatively quiet. the peak rush hour, if it were of the draw-down of u.s. forces was shortly after thanksgiving. however, there is another push that is going to happen. and that's expected in the next few days. as some of the remaining troops continue to come out of iraq. but this continues to be a point where a lot of, you see a lot of happy faces. a lot of americans looking forward to going home. >> martin savidge, just stand by for just a moment. we're watching live pictures of a ceremony about to start in baghdad, which is big on symbolism, a critical moment for the united states. and iraq. they're bringing in the colors now. let's watch. ♪ ♪ >> this is a major moment for iraq and the united states. a somber ceremony here in baghdad that is big on symbolism. almost nine years of war, one trillion u.s. dollars spent. more than 120,000 iraqis have died, more than 4,400 u.s. troops have died. barbara starr is watching this ceremony. she has been traveling with the u.s. defense secretary, leon panetta. barbara, what are we seeing? barbara starr is at the scene. we will try to reestablish communication with her in just a moment. but this is a real big deal for both iraq and the united states. it is marking the official end of u.s. military operations in this country. jim clancy, my colleague, is in atlanta watching the ceremonies also. as we listen to the u.s. national anthem. jim, what goes through your mind? you covered this war when it started back in 2003. and here we are, almost nine years later, and it's officially over. >> this has been a very bitter experience, i think for many americans. let's listen to the end to the national anthem. let me collect some thoughts here. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> as we continue to watch the ceremony, as the casing of the colors, as it's called, as the u.s. officially ends combat operations in iraq, a prayer being offered there. let's listen to this. >> since 2003, our nations sought a common good rarely tried in the history of mankind to bring the rule of law to a nation. and so doing, iraq and america sacrifice their most precious resources in the lives of service members and citizens. these sacrifices were not in vain, and therefore, we pray that a new spirit of peace and friendship will flow across this land, and that all iraqis will work together for their mutual growth and prosperity. give its leaders and people a renewed sense of hope for the days ahead, and we thank you for the leadership of general austin, who led the u.s. forces in iraq. grant wisdom to ambassador jeffrey, as he builds on the success of these years. we will thank you for all of these things which we humbly ask in your holy name, amen. >> please be seated. >> the whole military unit is embodied in the colors for which it fights. the colors stand in testimony for all it has accomplished in history. the colors embody future success in peace and war. safeguard them from loss and dishonor. today with the casing of the hon honor-led colors of the forces in iraq, we close a chapter in american military history. today we mark the end of operation new dawn. though the historic colors will fly no more, they will never fade in the memory of those who sacrificed so much to bring the promise of freedom to the people of iraq. third commanding general of the commanding forces of iraq. command sergeant major of the united states forces, iraq. >> james spider marks is a retired major general in the u.s. army. he ended his 30-year military career as the top intelligence officer for coalition land forces during the 2003 invasion in iraq and joins us now to tell us a little bit about what we're seeing. the casing of the colors. you know, if there's something that is achieved today, it is when american troops went in, so many said, general marks, they'll never leave, they'll take the oil. this is the day when that is proved wrong. >> you know, jim, we need to take great pride in what we're seeing right now. this is not the end. this is truly the end of the beginning. we established a relationship with iraq, iraq and united states established a new relationship when we entered iraq in march of 2003. and we are now transitioning. this is really a period of looking forward in anticipation. and there should be great optimism. there really is, i don't want to make too much of this. united states has made some mistakes in iraq. but this should not be an occasion for us to -- >> general marks, sorry to interrupt, but ambassador jeffrey is about to speak. let's listen to what he has to say. >> u.s. in doing so, we look back at the sacrifices made by so many americans and so many iraqis. but we also look forward to an iraq that is sovereign, secure, and self-reliant. an iraq with whom the united states government will continue to work in every way possible. building on the successes of our colleagues and usfi, led by general austin. in doing so, as the american mission moves forward, we will be a constantly in mind the responsibilities those of us have in the future for those of us who have given so much in the past. mr. secretary, we thank you for your support, both in your current position and as director of the c.i.a. thank you very much for coming here today. [ applause ] >> mr. ambassador, thank you very much. sergeant major, general austin, general maddis, general dempsey. honored guests. it is a profound honor to be here in baghdad and to have the opportunity to participate in this moving ceremony. on this very historic occasion for both the iraqi people and the american people. no words, no ceremony can provide full tribute to the sacrifices that have brought this day to pass. i'm reminded of what president lincoln said at gettysburg about a different war at a different time. as he paid tribute to the fallen in that war. his words echo through the years. as we pay tribute to the fallen of this war. the world will little note nor long remember what we say here. but it can never forget what they did here. today we are honored by the presence of so many distinguished guests from the iraqi and american governments. and to the distinguished members of the iraqi government, and the iraqi military. thank you for your courage, for your leadership, for your friendship over these many numbers of years. more importantly, thank you for your loyalty to the future of iraq. your dream of an independent and sovereign iraq is now a reality. we are deeply fortunate that in addition to all the great commanders who led our troops here, there are two great americans who stepped forward to lead this mission through this final transition. today we honor these two national treasures. ambassador jeffrey and general austin. jim, i want to thank you for your wise counsel, for your brilliant diplomacy, at a time that called for both. and lloyd, our nation owes you its highest gratitude for your tireless commitment to this mission, through multiple lengthy deployments. i want to offer my deepest thanks on behalf of the american people, for shouldering the burden of leadership. lloyd, your effort to make this day a reality is nothing short of miraculous. this was one of the most complex, logistical undertakings in u.s. military history. 50,000 u.s. troops withdrawn seamlessly. dozens of bases closed or handed over. millions of pieces of equipment that had to be transferred. all while maintaining the security of our forces and the security of the iraqi people. lloyd, you'll new reunite at the pentagon with someone else, whose able leadership under critical time in this war effort help achieve its ultimate success. army chief of staff, ray odierno. and now you'll lead the army through an important moment of transition as vice chief of staff. you're part of a generation of battle-proven leaders who have now taken the reins of our national security. and i can't tell you how much we benefit from that great experience. lloyd, i know you'll insure with ray odierno and marty dempsey and others who fought in this conflict, that as we confront the strategic challenge of the future, we will never forget the lessons of war. nor will we ever forget the sacrifices of the more than one million men and women of the united states armed forces who served in iraq and the sacrifices of their families. through deployment, after deployment, after deployment, families somehow withstood the strain, the sacrifice and the heartbreak of watching their loved ones go off to war. their loved ones fought in places like fallujah and ramadi and sadr city. and elsewhere. and today in particular we remember the nearly 4,500 brave americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. as well as the more than 30,000 wounded warriors, many of whom still struggle with serious life-altering injuries. to all of the men and women in uniform today, your nation is deeply indebted to you. you have done everything your nation asked you to do and more. your dedication, your commitment to this mission has been the driving force behind the remarkable progress that we've seen here in baghdad and across this country. you came to this land between the rivers. again and again and again. you did not know whether you'd return to your loved ones. you will leave with great pride. lasting pride. secure in knowing that your sacrifice has helped the iraqi people begin a new chapter in history. free from tyranny and full of hope for prosperity and peace. particularly for this country's future generations. this outcome was never certain. especially during the war's darkest days. in 2006, as a member of president bush's iraq study group, i traveled here at a time when sectarian violence was skyrocketing. and it seemed as if nothing was working. iraq was struggling. with turmoil, with violence, with uncertainty. and today some five years later, and after a great deal of blood has been spilled, by both iraqis and americans, the mission of an iraq that could finally govern and secure itself has become real. the iraqi army and police have been rebuilt. and they are capable of responding to threats. violence levels are down. al qaeda has been weakened. the rule of law has been strengthened. educational opportunities have been expanded. and economic growth is expanding as well. and this progress has been sustained, even as we have withdrawn. nearly 150,000 u.s. combat forces from this country. with the departure of the remaining u.s. forces, within these last few days to the end of the year. we salute the fact that iraq is now fully responsible. for directing its own path to future security and future prosperity. to be sure, the cost was high. the blood and treasure of the united states and also for the iraqi people. but those lives have not been lost in vain. they gave birth to an independent, free and sovereign iraq. and because of the sacrifices made, these years of war have now yielded to a new era of opportunity. together with the iraqi people, the united states welcomes the next stage. in u.s./iraqi relations. one that will be rooted in mutual interest and mutual respect. let me be clear -- iraq will be tested in the days ahead. by terrorism, by those who would seek to divide. by economic and social issues. by the demands of democracy itself. challenges remain. will be there to stand by the iraqi people as they navigate those challenges to build a stronger and more prosperous nation. to that end, the u.s. is deepening our relationship with iraq for our office of security cooperation. and iraq's security forces will continue to partner with the u.s. central command, led by general mathis. the u.s. will maintain a significant diplomatic presence here in iraq. we will continue to help iraq address violent extremism. and defend against external threats, we will continue to have a robust and enduring military presence across the middle east. we are not about to turn our backs on all that has been sacrificed and accomplished. and we will not allow those who would seek to undermine success to have their way. but in the end, this is not about the united states. rather today is about iraq. this is a time for iraq to look forward. t