The war in Iraq is over. President Obama’s announcement today effectively declared an end to Operation Iraqi Freedom and will have immediate ramifications across the Middle East. America battled an evil regime and will now leave a foreign people to determine their destiny. The extremist’s false narrative of an imperial America bent on Middle-East domination has been dealt a major blow.

There will be people who focus on the politics of the war. The intelligence that led to the invasion was flawed. Bush made grave mistakes during the post-Saddam phase. Whatever the criticism, it is not a reflection on the accomplishments of our troops, or their success in this mission.

With grit and tremendous bravery, the U.S. military deposed a vicious tyrant and held together a fractured, blood-soaked post-Saddam Iraq. From 2006 until after the Surge, it looked as if Iraq might fall into the abyss of anarchy, civil war, and ethnic cleansing. The Coalition stopped the downward spiral and prevented catastrophe.

Still, the situation is not going to be easy once our troops leave. Violence will undoubtedly occur, and dark days are ahead. The Shia-Sunni divide remains a major vulnerability. Tensions between the Kurds and ethnic Arabs could flare up. Al Qaeda has not given up its nihilistic, blood-soaked vision of a fractured, failed Iraq. There are still many bad actors and many serious hurdles.

But a functioning, representative government has been placed in Baghdad. The Iraqi Armed Forces have had years of tutelage from the best military on the planet. They will sink or swim on their own. That’s the best America could ever offer.

President Obama has bowed to that simple reality, and should be applauded for it. We can’t stay in Iraq forever, and we shouldn’t view perfection as the end goal. It’s going to be messy. Iraqis cannot change their history, but they can play a determining role in the future of a democratic, peaceful Iraq.

Most importantly, our men and women in uniform will finally come home after over eight years of continuous warfare and counterinsurgency. They deserve and will receive a hero’s welcome. We should all agree it’s high time for that.