07 April 2009
Obama Makes Unannounced Visit to Iraq
Washington — President Obama made a surprise visit to Iraq April 7, where he said that a gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces will help cement security gains as the Iraqi government continues gaining strength.
“You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country,” Obama told U.S. troops at Camp Victory outside Baghdad. “It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis. They need to take responsibility for their country and for their sovereignty.”
Obama arrived in Iraq from neighboring Turkey, the final leg of a weeklong European tour that included stops at the G20 summit in London, the 60th Anniversary NATO Summit in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany, and talks with European Union leaders in Prague, where Obama called for a global reduction in nuclear weapon stockpiles. Earlier on April 7, Obama talked about efforts to stabilize Iraq — a major issue during his 2008 presidential election campaign — in a roundtable discussion with Turkish students at Istanbul’s Mimar Sinan University.
“I opposed the war in Iraq. I thought it was a bad idea,” Obama said. “Now that we’re there, I have a responsibility to make sure that as we bring troops out, that we do so in a careful enough way that we don’t see a complete collapse into violence.”
After meeting with U.S. troops, Obama and National Security Advisor James Jones met with coalition commander General Ray Odierno at the al-Faw Palace, where Obama also held brief talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani. Obama visited Iraq twice as a member of the U.S. Senate, but this trip was his first as president.
Obama praised political progress, but acknowledged that security gains remain fragile, as seen by a car bombing in Baghdad’s Sadr City neighborhood earlier in the day. A series of explosions killed 37 people, according to news reports. “It is important for people to know that there is still a lot of work to do here,” Obama said.
“You’ve seen a greater willingness on the part of all the factions in Iraq to resolve their issues politically and through nonviolent means. But with the national elections coming up, many of the unresolved issues may be brought to a head,” Obama said. “It’s very important for us to use all of our influence to encourage parties to resolve these issues in ways that are equitable and fair.”
On February 27, Obama announced his administration’s plans to withdraw approximately 142,000 U.S. troops from Iraq. Forces will pull back to bases outside major cities by June 30, when they will begin preparing to leave the country. Force levels are expected to remain relatively constant until after Iraqi general elections this December, then the withdrawal process will begin in earnest.
Going into 2011, when all U.S. forces are to leave Iraq under the terms of a Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and Iraq, a residual force of between 35,000 and 50,000 U.S. troops will remain, tasked with training, equipping and advising Iraqi security forces; conducting targeted counterterrorism missions; and protecting U.S. civilian and military efforts. Obama has said he would like to complete the withdrawal ahead of schedule on a 19-month timetable.
“The drawdown of our military should send a clear signal that Iraq’s future is now its own responsibility. The long-term success of the Iraqi nation will depend upon decisions made by Iraq’s leaders and the fortitude of the Iraqi people,” Obama said.
As combat brigades gradually are withdrawn, Obama said, the United States will pursue the second part of its strategy: sustained diplomacy for a more peaceful and prosperous Iraq. Leading that effort will be the new U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill, who is moving from his post as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs and chief negotiator in the Six-Party Talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
Iraqis “are going to have to focus on providing government services that encourage confidence among their citizens,” Obama said. “We can’t do it for them. But what we can do is make sure that we are a stalwart partner, that we are working alongside them, that we are committed to their success.”
A transcript of Obama’s remarks to U.S. troops and a transcript of the roundtable discussion in Turkey are available on America.gov.
