Obama says Iraq war is ending

Baghdad to chart future

Obama, who is vacationing on the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard, declared in his weekly radio and Internet address that “the war is ending” and pledged to take care of troops who are returning home.

The US military recently cut its strength to under 50,000 troops in Iraq, helping to make good on Obama’s promise to end the war launched 7-1/2 years ago by his Republican predecessor, George W Bush.

Obama’s Saturday remarks may be a preview of a rare, televised address the president plans on Tuesday evening from the White House Oval Office about the troop drawdown.
“On Tuesday, the United States of America will end its combat mission in Iraq and take an important step forward in responsibly ending the Iraq war,” Obama said. “As a candidate for this office, I pledged I would end this war. As president, that is what I am doing.”

The White House is trying to emphasise Obama’s accomplishments ahead of November elections to bolster fellow Democrats, who are likely to lose seats and possibly majorities in one or both houses of Congress.

With economic growth slowing, the White House hopes the fulfilment of a foreign policy promise will help offset the economic pain at the forefront of voters’ minds.

Maliki puts nation on highest alert

Iraq’s prime minister put his nation on its highest level of alert for terror attacks, warning of plots to sow fear and chaos as the US combat mission formally ends on Tuesday, AP reports.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said on Friday that Iraqi intelligence indicated that an al-Qaeda front group and members of Saddam Hussein’s outlawed Baath party are collaborating to launch attacks “to create fear and chaos and kill more innocents.”