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Obama to reveal Iraq pullout plan Obama outlines Iraq pullout plan
(about 3 hours later)
President Barack Obama is due to announce the withdrawal of most US troops in Iraq by August 2010. President Barack Obama has announced the withdrawal of most US troops in Iraq by the end of August 2010.
In a speech later, he is expected to confirm that the US "combat mission" in Iraq will officially end by that time. In a speech at a Marine Corps base, he said the US "combat mission" in Iraq would officially end by that time.
He is also expected to say that up to 50,000 of the 142,000 troops will stay in Iraq after that date to advise Iraqi forces and protect American interests. But 35,000 to 50,000 of the 142,000 troops now in Iraq would stay on into 2011 to advise Iraqi forces, target terror and protect US interests.
Some Democrats are concerned that the timetable may fall short of his election vow to withdraw troops. Mr Obama praised the progress made but warned: "Iraq is not yet secure, and there will be difficult days ahead."
Some Democrats are concerned that the timetable falls short of his election pledges on troop withdrawal.
Mr Obama had said previously that he would completely pull out troops within 16 months of taking the top job.Mr Obama had said previously that he would completely pull out troops within 16 months of taking the top job.
Earlier this month, he ordered the deployment of up to 17,000 extra US troops to Afghanistan.Earlier this month, he ordered the deployment of up to 17,000 extra US troops to Afghanistan.
The president said the soldiers had been due to go to Iraq but were being redirected to "meet urgent security needs".The president said the soldiers had been due to go to Iraq but were being redirected to "meet urgent security needs".
Middle wayMiddle way
Mr Obama is expected to make his announcement in Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. In his address at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina, Mr Obama said his national security team had drawn up a "new strategy" for US involvement in Iraq.
US TROOPS IN IRAQ Aug '10 troops down to 35-50,000Dec '11 all US troops out of Iraq Source: Brookings Institution The strategy recognised that the long-term solution in Iraq must be political and that the most important decisions about its future must now be made by Iraqis, he said.
A senior administration official told reporters that Mr Obama will announce that "our combat mission will end on 31 August, 2010". US TROOPS IN IRAQ Aug '10 troops down to 35-50,000Dec '11 all US troops out of Iraq Source: Brookings Institution class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=6131&edition=2&ttl=20090227055702">Have your say: What now for Iraq? "We have also taken into account the simple reality that America can no longer afford to see Iraq in isolation from other priorities: we face the challenge of refocusing on Afghanistan and Pakistan; of relieving the burden on our military; and of rebuilding our struggling economy - and these are challenges that we will meet."
"At that point, the US forces remaining in Iraq will undertake a new mission, a more limited mission," he said on condition of anonymity. Mr Obama said all US troops would have left Iraq by the end of 2011, in line with an agreement signed between the two countries last year.
The force, sized "at around 35-50,000" soldiers, will train, equip and advise Iraqi troops, protect US civilian and military interests and conduct "targeted counter-terrorism operations". The president recognised that the conflict had been "a long war" and paid tribute to the US forces who have served in Iraq the past six years, and the sacrifices made by their families.
The official said the aim is to have "zero" US troops in Iraq by the end of 2011, in line with an agreement signed between the two countries last year. He also announced that his administration would increase the numbers of soldiers and Marines, in order to lessen the burden on those now serving, and was committed to expanding veterans' health care.
Addressing the Iraqi people directly, Mr Obama said theirs was "a great nation" that had persevered through tyranny, terror and sectarian violence.
We have learned the importance of working closely with friends and allies, which is why we are launching a new era of engagement in the world Barack Obama
"Instead of giving in to the forces of disunion, you stepped back from a descent into civil war, and showed a proud resilience that deserves respect," he said.
Mr Obama said there were important lessons to be learned from the Iraq conflict - among them that the US must go to war with clearly defined goals, that it must weigh the costs of action and "communicate those costs candidly to the American people".
As a result of these lessons, he had ordered a review of US policy in Afghanistan, he said, and put the costs of Iraq and Afghanistan into the federal budget.
"And we have learned the importance of working closely with friends and allies, which is why we are launching a new era of engagement in the world," he said.
Iraqi concerns
The plan is a middle way between the speedy reduction Mr Obama envisaged during his election campaign and the slower one some military leaders may prefer, BBC North America editor Justin Webb says.The plan is a middle way between the speedy reduction Mr Obama envisaged during his election campaign and the slower one some military leaders may prefer, BBC North America editor Justin Webb says.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme President Obama wants only two combat brigades to leave this year but after December elections in Iraq the pace should quicken with the total force down to 50,000 by the summer of 2010, our correspondent says. Obama setting out his plans for Iraq during his campaign in July 2008
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who has been visiting Iraq, said he had found a "real yearning... for Iraqis to run their own affairs, to make their own mistakes but also to make their own progress". President Obama wants only two combat brigades to leave this year but after December elections in Iraq the pace should quicken with the total force down to 50,000 by the summer of 2010, our correspondent says.
"However, it's clear that there is massive training function to be done on the security side, that's what Americans are going to focus on after the middle of next year," he told the BBC's Today programme. The BBC's Mike Sergeant in Baghdad says that security in Iraq is now better and people say they are ready for US forces to leave.
The UK is due to end its own military operations in Iraq by 31 May, with only a few hundred troops set to remain for training purposes. However, some people are deeply worried about what exactly will happen when US combat troops disappear, our correspondent says.
While Iraqi forces are much better trained and equipped than before, they are still dependent on US troops for support in many areas, our correspondent adds, and a great deal of American financial and political support may be needed for years to come.
'Too many''Too many'
Democrats have expressed concern that the troop withdrawal is being watered down.Democrats have expressed concern that the troop withdrawal is being watered down.
Obama setting out his plans for Iraq during his campaign in July 2008
Speaking before Mr Obama briefed Congressional leaders about the plan on Thursday, Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi said 50,000 troops seemed too many for a residual force and needed to be justified.Speaking before Mr Obama briefed Congressional leaders about the plan on Thursday, Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi said 50,000 troops seemed too many for a residual force and needed to be justified.
However, other sceptics have expressed concern that a fast withdrawal could reverse the dramatic but fragile gains in security in Iraq.However, other sceptics have expressed concern that a fast withdrawal could reverse the dramatic but fragile gains in security in Iraq.
John McHugh, the top Republican on the House armed services committee, said after the briefing that Mr Obama had promised the pullout strategy would be revisited if violence in Iraq increased.John McHugh, the top Republican on the House armed services committee, said after the briefing that Mr Obama had promised the pullout strategy would be revisited if violence in Iraq increased.