Tuesday night, President Obama will address the nation to mark the supposed end of combat operations in Iraq. He has already been claiming to have kept his campaign promise to end the war but conveniently downplays the 49,000 US troops still there and the 4,500 or so Special Forces – and the uncounted contractors.

While Obama speaks of this moment as an accomplishment, the Iraqi press say something quite different.

Aswat Al Iraq remains full of distressing news and even a quick glance at their headlines tells the story of a country where random and targeted violence flourishes, landmines and cluster bombs are left behind throughout the land and food insecurity remains a threat to families.

Or look at Azzaman on the continuing lack of electricity:

One best signal of how ruinous the U.S. occupation of Iraq has been is the story of electricity.

The same signal can be used to assess the ruinous policies and practices of the political factions the U.S. has helped to rule the country.

Practically, there is little or no electricity in Iraq while prior to 2003 major cities used to enjoy minimum 12 hours of non-interrupted supplies from the national grid.

…If you have never seen the inferno that results from temperatures brushing 50 degrees centigrade, you will never appreciate how critical electricity is for a country like Iraq.

Azzaman continues with the words Obama will never have the guts to speak:

U.S. combat troops have withdrawn, leaving behind a country in darkness, after spending countless of billions of dollars on combat missions that ruined cities, villages, roads and orchards and shed rivers of innocent blood.

They left behind their lackeys who are now squabbling, fighting and battling over government posts and privileges.

The fate of their ruined country and the fate of their oppressed people is none of their business.