1990 : The withdrawal of U.S. troops stirs up emotions on the streets of Baghdad . About 500 U.S. soldiers cross into Kuwait , ending almost nine years of war in Iraq . They are the last American troops in the largest drawdown since the Vietnam War . By Thursday , the day the United States formally ended its mission in Iraq with a flag-casing ceremony in Baghdad , under 1,000 people remained there . They make the journey south from Camp Pendleton , the U.S. base closest to Kuwaiti border .
1990 : The withdrawal of U.S. troops stirs up emotions on the streets of Baghdad . About 500 U.S. soldiers cross into Kuwait , ending almost nine years of war in Iraq . They are the last American troops in the largest drawdown since the Vietnam War . They make the journey south from Camp Pendleton , the U.S. base closest to Kuwaiti border .