Kansas City residents with Iraqi ties have mixed emotions about the U.S. troop withdrawal

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - The United States changed commanders in Iraq Thursday, in a ceremony that began the final phase of its military involvement in the country.

Kansas City residents with Iraqi ties have mixed emotions about the U.S. troop withdrawal.

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The United States is on track to remove all of our troops by the end of the year.

I spoke with an Iraqi refugee who lives in Kansas City and he said he is fearful for his family who still lives in the country.

Ibrahim Alanvuki was raised in Southern Iraq and fled to the United States during the country’s revolution against Sadam Hussein.

Many of his family members still live in Iraq.

“There is a lot of corruption; there is a lot of terrorist activity and insurgents. People get killed for no reason,” said Alanvuki.

That’s why he had mixed reaction to President Obama’s speech; the U.S. combat role in Iraq is over after seven years of war.

Iraqi troops now take the lead responsibilities for their country’s security.

Alanvuki said his family who lives in Iraq supports the U.S. troop withdrawal but he doesn’t.

“I'm telling you, every county close to Iraq: Iran, Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. They got involved with it and made big mess in Iraq actually. That's why I don’t recommend US Troops leave right now.”

Over the last seven years, more than 4,400 U.S. troops and an estimated 100,000 Iraqis were killed in the war said to have cost billions of dollars.

Even though Alanvuki believes U.S. troops should stay in Iraq, the latest poll shows 68-percent of Americans approve of President Obama ending the combat mission.