Gates Calls "Fini" On War In Iraq

Secretary Gates is in Iraq, and says that the war there is over.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that while the United States is no longer at war in Iraq, history will judge whether the fight was worth it.

The Pentagon chief met with troops at Camp Ramadi just a few hours after President Barack Obama declared an official end to the U.S. combat role in Iraq and told Americans it was time to "turn the page."

Asked whether the U.S. was still at war in Iraq, Gates answered succinctly, "I would say we are not."

He was less direct when asked whether the war was worthwhile, saying that will depend in part on whether Iraq emerges as a democratic anchor in the Middle East.

That judgment "really requires a historian's perspective," Gates said.

By: Brant