US President Barack Obama has welcomed home some of the last US troops from Iraq. This marks a symbolic end to the nearly nine-year war that strained America's armed forces and inflicted lasting damage to its standing worldwide.
Welcome home -- a simple greeting. But for US troops who've just returned from Iraq, it means a lot. After 9 years of fighting, thousands of soldiers can finally spend the Christmas holiday with their families.
Obama said, "So as your commander in chief and on behalf of a grateful nation, I'm proud to finally say these two words and I know your families agree - welcome home, welcome home, welcome home."