" I would never consider apologising to a mass murderer. If only all americans actually read the history of their country they would realise that the U.S has never been interested in anything but power and money. People and their individual rights have and never will be considered worthwhile. If the american people are happy to believe the lies they're fed then so be it. One day the rest of the world will wake up and realise we don't need the U.S as an ally and we can then leave them isolated as they so surely deserve.

James Hodgson, Liverpool, UK "

Mr. Hodgson your comment is presumably a joke? Please spare us poor American's your sanctimonious Marxist dribble.
Europeans can never legitimately pass moral judgment on Americans. Please do not trouble yourself by being our ally. We can manage quite fine without you.

cubanbob, Miami, FL USA

Well done Jonathan. The left have put all their coins in defeat and despair. Let history show, that we in the Military stayed the course for victory, when the left and it subversive liberal media counted us out.

Special Forces, Ft, Bragg, NC

Of course the Iraqis will take the money that's offered to them for returning home.

Zainon, CA, USA

So the brave and wonderful USA came to the world's rescue and saved us all from the Nazis because they're all just great guys! Naivety and ignorance breeds nothing but fascism, my friend. America joined WW2 because their economy was in ruins having never truly recovered from the Depression. They goaded Japan into attacking as they required an excuse as the Senate and a lot of the people weren't interested in an european war. I suggest you pick up a copy of the Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zim, but only if you want the truth. If you're content to wear the blindfold of the guilty then carry on as you are. Those of us who care about people and not countries will continue to look down on you with pity!

James Hodgson, Liverpool, UK

Bloody fools. If only the ____ people read the history of their country they would realize that _____ has never been interested in anything but ...

That is the world and the history of the world so don't use it against the US when the blood of Europe is everywhere and the US cleans up the mess most times or just ignores the mess.

James Callahan, Los Angeles, California

<i>Why do you think the US sacrificed blood and treasure to save Europe from the Nazis? What interest did they have beyond moral? </i>

Um, Germany declared war on them?

FGFM, Uptown Barber Shop, Chicago

Forget about the rights and wrongs of the US and UK administration. Forget about the numbers returning. The very fact that Iraqis ARE returning is a significant turning point which I hope and pray continues and the Iraqis can resume control of their own destinies.

This is another small step towards a peaceful Iraq but the coalition will still need to remain in the country to help the Iraqis build up their nation for some years to come.

Kerrin Smith, Middlesbrough, UK

"People like you don't deserve democracy". That statement in itself misses the point of America. Democracy is not somethinbg to be granted or allowed by any govt it is an unalienable human right bestowed upon all of us by God or Allah or whomever. That is how it is written up in our Constitution based on ideas that took root in the UK and Europe.

As for the rest of the world not needing the US, be thankful you are not speaking German or Russian or worse...dead, James. The media here in the US and abroad is anything but pro-US. The stories of success and progress are often buried or omitted---certainly not front page, top story as were the death and destruction of just a few months ago were.

As for being thankful, tomorrow I will raise my glass and turkey leg and be thankful I live in the greatest country on earth.

Cheers!

Chris, New York, NY

Good to see the Iraqis are finally returning in large numbers. It seems that Iraq has now pulled back from the precipice of civil war and is basically de-quagmired.

Speaking of history, Mr. Hodgson; a review of history would show that it was the British that originally threw the ME into the cluster that now exists there. The radicalism and jihadist attitudes are, in a major part, a result of your country's past imperialistic tendencies and your own lust for power and money. We in the US, however, are used to extracting your country from situations that you were never able to extract yourselves from. We're glad once again to show you exactly how it's done, though we'll have to fix your screwups in Basra first.

Mike, Orlando, Fl, USA

You people are astonishing. We liberated Iraq from a brutal dictator who ran torturous prisoners (and by the way, never gave accurate infant mortality figures to the U.N. (surprise, surprise), and we protected a new free and democratic government from terrorists who literally decapitate infant children...And you people treat us like we're terrorists?

Unless you've seen this for yourself, you cannot understand.

James B., Baghdad, Iraq

No one would be happier than I if the horror of our war on the Iraqi people over the last four years is coming to an end or even reducing its brutality. But I have seen so many corners turned, I fear this is just noise in the continuing criminal holocaust.
I will believe the Iraq situation will improve when the US starts making serious efforts to reduce infant mortality and acute malnutrition from double the rates it was under Saddam.

Tom Baxter, Tallahassee, Florida

Quickly pull down the "mission accomplished" banner and pull the troops out of Iraq immediately.

Mohammed, London, UK

I blame George Bush for this.

Sam Young, Paris, France

Thank you Jonathan, my sentiments exactly. YOU SEE? IT WORKED.
Iraq will (hopefully) continue on the path back to peace, prosperity and, I hope, democracy.
Shame on you James Hodgson. How dare you speak like that of the USA? Why do you think the US sacrificed blood and treasure to save Europe from the Nazis? What interest did they have beyond moral?
People like you don't deserve democracy, perhaps because you don't believe in it.

Richard, Norwich,

A few hundred refugees return home, and media is portraying this as their Victory and liberation of Iraq, just shows how pathetic western media, and how easily they can fool their audiences. How can a place where soldiers with tanks and guns roam around neighbourhoods be 'happy'?

Maz, Watford, uk

I would never consider apologising to a mass murderer. If only all americans actually read the history of their country they would realise that the U.S has never been interested in anything but power and money. People and their individual rights have and never will be considered worthwhile. If the american people are happy to believe the lies they're fed then so be it. One day the rest of the world will wake up and realise we don't need the U.S as an ally and we can then leave them isolated as they so surely deserve.

James Hodgson, Liverpool, UK

Alas dear Claudia, you know that can never happen, let us just sit back and watch the good news unfold............Although i dare say not through the U.S. media.

michael McGinn, Atlanta, U.S.

To all you cycical lefties out there - here's just more evidence that you were wrong on Iraq.

Jonathan, Stockholm,

So is the world going to apologize to Bush when Iraq becomes a happy and prosperous place?

Claudia, Atlanta, USA