U.S. troops are starting their withdrawal from Iraqi cities, six years after the invasion, and two years before all American military forces are set to leave the country for good.

Iraq is now formally assuming control of security. But commanders from both sides say they expect al-Qaeda and other groups in the country to attempt to re-ignite sectarian tensions.

RT's political analyst Peter Lavelle and military expert Evgeny Khruschev discuss the meaning of the pull-out and largely agree that it is mostly a symbolic move and that, in some way or another, there will always be an American presence in Iraq.