U.S. soldiers carry an Iraqi national flag (R) and an U.S. flag during a ceremony to retire the ceremonial flags, marking the end of the U.S. military engagement at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center December 15, 2011. The U.S military officially ended its war in Iraq on Thursday, packing up their military flag at a ceremony with U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta nearly nine years after the invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen (IRAQ – Tags: CONFLICT POLITICS MILITARY)