Obama makes suprise visit to Iraqi capital
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 08, 2009 00:00
BAGHDAD - On a trip shrouded in secrecy, President Barack Obama flew into Iraq yesterday for a look at a war he opposed as a candidate and now vows to end as commander in chief. Obama flew into the country hours after a bomb exploded in Baghdad, a reminder of the violence that has claimed the lives at least 4,266 U.S. soldiers since 2003.
In office only 11 weeks, Obama has already announced plans to withdraw most U.S. combat troops on a 19-month timetable. The drawdown is to begin slowly, so American forces can provide security for Iraqi elections, then accelerate in 2010. As many as 50,000 troops are expected to remain in the country at the end of the 19 months to perform counterterrorism duties.
Yesterday's trip was Obama's third to Iraq, and his first since taking office. He met with U.S. commanders and troops last summer while seeking the presidency. Because of security concerns, the White House made no advance announcement of the visit, and released no details for his activities on the ground.
The president flew into Baghdad, and was spending his day at Camp Victory, where he arranged to speak to some of the 140,000 U.S. troops stationed in the country. He was awarding medals to several. Plans to travel to the Green Zone - the heavily fortified U.S. nerve center in Baghdad - were scrapped because of bad weather. Instead, officials said the president spoke by phone with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani.
While U.S. casualties are down sharply from the war's height, there were constant reminders of violence. A half-dozen bombs rocked Shiite neighborhoods on Monday, killing 37 people. There was no immediate death toll available from the car bomb incident that occurred a few hours before the president arrived on Tuesday. The military is in the process of thinning out its presence ahead of a June 30 deadline, under a U.S.-Iraq agreement negotiated last year that requires all American combat troops to leave Iraq's cities. As that process moves forward, the increase in bombings and other incidents is creating concern that extremists may be regrouping.
Opposition to Iraq war
There was no indication Obama planned to visit Afghanistan before flying home to Washington aboard Air Force One, although he has emphasized the importance of that war over Iraq.
Obama's opposition to the Iraq war helped him enormously in his campaign for the presidency. It helped him defeat former rival - now Secretary of State - Hillary Clinton in the Iowa caucuses that were the first test of the race, and aided his campaign against John McCain.
The end-the-war plan Obama announced in February was aimed at fulfilling his campaign promise to end combat in Iraq within 16 months of taking office. Contrary to hopes among some Democrats and grass-roots supporters, the plan calls for a 19-month timetable instead.
Yesterday's trip was Obama's third to Iraq, and his first since taking office. He met with U.S. commanders and troops last summer while seeking the presidency. Because of security concerns, the White House made no advance announcement of the visit, and released no details for his activities on the ground.
The president flew into Baghdad, and was spending his day at Camp Victory, where he arranged to speak to some of the 140,000 U.S. troops stationed in the country. He was awarding medals to several. Plans to travel to the Green Zone - the heavily fortified U.S. nerve center in Baghdad - were scrapped because of bad weather. Instead, officials said the president spoke by phone with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani.
While U.S. casualties are down sharply from the war's height, there were constant reminders of violence. A half-dozen bombs rocked Shiite neighborhoods on Monday, killing 37 people. There was no immediate death toll available from the car bomb incident that occurred a few hours before the president arrived on Tuesday. The military is in the process of thinning out its presence ahead of a June 30 deadline, under a U.S.-Iraq agreement negotiated last year that requires all American combat troops to leave Iraq's cities. As that process moves forward, the increase in bombings and other incidents is creating concern that extremists may be regrouping.
Opposition to Iraq war
There was no indication Obama planned to visit Afghanistan before flying home to Washington aboard Air Force One, although he has emphasized the importance of that war over Iraq.
Obama's opposition to the Iraq war helped him enormously in his campaign for the presidency. It helped him defeat former rival - now Secretary of State - Hillary Clinton in the Iowa caucuses that were the first test of the race, and aided his campaign against John McCain.
The end-the-war plan Obama announced in February was aimed at fulfilling his campaign promise to end combat in Iraq within 16 months of taking office. Contrary to hopes among some Democrats and grass-roots supporters, the plan calls for a 19-month timetable instead.