Obama to announce the nation as troops withdraw from Iraq

After the invasion of seven-and-a-half years  that rapidly brought down Saddam Hussein but end much longer and insisted that many more lives than anyone expected, the president will announce the nation from the Oval Office.

Imposing a deadline  shortly after taking office, Mr Obama will officially announce that the remaining US troops will play a supporting role to Iraqi forces, only participating in combat at the requests of their hosts.

Rushing to end a war he disagreed from the start, Mr Obama has lessened US troop numbers to below 50,000, down from 140,000 when he took over in January 2009, and less than a third of the peak figure of almost 170,000 during the US ‘Surge’ of 2007. Troops from the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, began crossing the border from Iraq into Kuwait earlier this month.

Mr Obama is likely to say that though the US will never leave Iraqis, they must take responsibility for their nation.

“In the months ahead, our troops will continue to support and train Iraqi forces, partner with Iraqis in counterterrorism missions and protect our civilian and military efforts,” Mr Obama said over the weekend.

“The bottom line is this: The war is ending. Like any sovereign, independent nation, Iraq is free to chart its own course. And by the end of next year, all of our troops will be home.”

All American troops are set to leave Iraq by the end of 2011 under an accord the US reached during George W Bush’s presidency.

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