President Obama has indicated he fulfilled a campaign promise when he brought the war in Iraq to a “responsible” end.  But who really ended the war?

As summarized by the Congressional Research Service [emphasis added],

On November 17, 2008, after months of negotiations, [the US and Iraq] signed the Agreement Between the United States of America and Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States Forces from Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities during Their Temporary Presence in Iraq.

The agreement required two specific things: 

The first requires the withdrawal of all U.S. combat forces from Iraqi cities, villages, and localities no later than June 30, 2009; the second requires the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraqi territory no later than December 31, 2011.

Public indications were NATO was trying to extend the agreement, but the Iraqi government would not agree to immunity for US servicemembers.

Thus, absent affirmative action on either Iraq or the Obama administration’s part, the agreement signed by the administration of President George W. Bush in 2008 governed the final withdrawal of forces this month.