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President Obama announced late last week that all U.S. troops in Iraq will be home by the year’s end.

“The coming months will be a season of homecomings,” Obama said. “Our troops in Iraq will definitely be home for the holidays.”

Only a force of 150 will remain to assist in arms sales, but the rest will be out by Dec. 31.

After nearly nine years of war that has cost America more than 4,400 lives, it is time we bring the troops home. While it is good that we can close this chapter in American history, it’s important that we never forget those who lost their lives in Iraq, including the innocent civilians who were caught up in the conflict. 

More importantly, Americans must remember we still have troops in Afghanistan who face deadly violence day in and day out. While our mission in Iraq has finally been accomplished, we must all be aware that we are still playing a major role in the region. 

Obama definitely deserves recognition for keeping his campaign promise of bringing the troops home from Iraq before the end of 2011. That didn’t stop some Republican politicians from criticizing his actions, though.

“Today marks a harmful and sad setback for the United States in the world,” said Sen. John McCain, who lost the election to Obama in 2008. “This decision will be viewed as a strategic victory for our enemies in the Middle East, especially the Iranian regime, which has worked relentlessly to ensure a full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.”

It’s been clear for many years that the American public lost confidence in the war, and all we wanted was to stabilize the country and bring our troops home. Now that we have accomplished that, what more can we ask of our soldiers? Their families need them here, not in Iraq. 

America is finally in a good position to leave Iraq, and it is good that Obama is taking the opportunity.