San Francisco (Obama.net)- In 2008, as he was running for the coveted seat of President of the United States of America, Barack Obama made one thing very clear to the American people: the War in Iraq would come to an end before he would leave office. And on Saturday, with his weekly address to the American people, Obama reminded them of the official end to combat in Iraq that was marked by this past Tuesday.
Obama said that Tuesday signaled the fact that “the war is ending” in fact and that now Baghdad has the power and strength to control its own destiny and run its own state.
The soldiers remaining in Iraq will now only be assisting and training the Iraqi military and police forces until the end of 2011 when all United States military personnel are expected to exit Iraq once and for all.
Obama told his listeners, “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.”
Obama is scheduled to make an official speech regarding the Iraq War on Tuesday. Obama will speak from his Oval Office on the day that he planed to be the deadline day for the last day of combat in Iraq for American soldiers. The goal was to have only 50,000 soldiers left in Iraq and as of the last count, there are in fact less than 50,000 American troops in the state now.
Obama made it clear that Iraq will be left with the power to “chart its own course.” Over the course of the following year, the American troops will further prepare Iraq to be self-sufficient.
The remaining support of the 50,000 troops is highly needed as violence still continues to be a factor in Iraq, leaving the state in danger.
Obama has worked hard to reduce the number of American soldiers in Iraq by a grand total of 90,000 already with more to come.
In addition to his address of the end of the Iraq War, Obama also addressed both the new aid for military members returning home and the better care they will receive. Obama made it clear that it is the “moral obligation” of the United States government to supports its troops when they return home after putting their lives on the line for the rest of the American population.
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