U.S. Army soldiers from the 2-228th Aviation Regiment (L to R) Specialist Steven Rabbeth and Angel Vazquez throw papers in a fire as they wait for orders to leave Kuwait home to the United Sates at the U.S. Air Force base Ali Al Salem near Kuwait City December 16, 2011. U.S. forces formally ended their nine-year war in Iraq on Thursday with a low key flag ceremony in Baghdad, while to the north flickering violence highlighted ethnic and sectarian strains threatening the country in years ahead. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton (IRAQ – Tags: MILITARY CONFLICT SOCIETY)