U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq, leave gift

After Gen. Petraeus delivers his report to Congress Sept. 11, there might be only one way left to win in Iraq:

(Baghdad)--U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq yesterday, leaving behind only a large wooden camel as a gesture of goodwill.

Although violence continued between sectarian groups, curious crowds gathered around the unusual, four-story structure in Baghdad's downtown square.

Local goat meat vendor Almahd Rhazdih said that Iraqis are glad of the Americans' departure, but are apprehensive about the future. He noted that insurgent fighters had surrounded the big dromedary, stopping the crowd from breaking it apart for firewood.

"Maybe they're going to analyze it, or use it for some kind of propaganda," he said. "Somebody said they might parade it through the streets and then behead it on TV. They're looking for a chainsaw now."

U.S. Defense Secretary Gates explained the gift of a camel is "a traditional Bedouin gesture of peace" that he hoped the new Iraqi rulers would accept.

"We're counting on their goodwill, curiosity and a profound ignorance of Western classical literature to make this work."


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