Iraq: Obama warns of violence
2009-07-01 07:18
Washington - President Barack Obama on Tuesday hailed the withdrawal of US troops from Iraqi towns and cities as an "important milestone", but warned of difficult days of bloodshed and violence to come.
A careful White House also declined to declare victory, six years after the US invasion under ex-president George W Bush spawned an insurgency that killed more than 4 300 US troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis.
"Today, American troops have transferred control of all Iraqi cities and towns to Iraq's government and security forces," Obama said at the White House.
"The Iraqi people are rightfully treating this day as a cause for celebration. This an important step forward, as a sovereign and united Iraq continues to take control of its own destiny."
Obama, an early opponent of the war, who campaigned on a platform of bringing US troops home, declared in February that all US combat operations would end in August 2010 and said all soldiers would be out by the end of 2011.
Though hailing an "important milestone" in Iraq, Obama warned its torment may not be at an end, citing a "senseless" car bombing in the tense city of Kirkuk that killed 27 people.
"Iraq's leaders must now make some hard choices necessary to resolve key political questions to advance opportunity and provide security for their towns and their cities," Obama said, terming the pullback a "precious opportunity".
'We know that the violence in Iraq will continue...'
"Make no mistake, there will be difficult days ahead.
"We know that the violence in Iraq will continue... there are those who will test Iraq's security forces and the resolve of the Iraqi people through more sectarian bombings and the murder of innocent civilians.
"I am confident that those forces will fail. Today's transition is further proof that those who have tried to pull Iraq into the abyss of disunion and civil war are on the wrong side of history."
White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs was repeatedly pressed to say whether the United States saw Tuesday's pullback as a long-awaited victory.
"We'll keep the banner printers from doing anything crazy," Gibbs said, in an apparent reference to a notorious "Mission Accomplished" poster displayed on a returning US aircraft carrier visited by Bush in May 2003.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates meanwhile warned of more "sporadic attacks" in Iraq, after a short trip to Germany to attend the change of command at EUCOM, the base of US operations in Europe.
"I think it's still a dangerous situation - we lost four kids today," he said.
New portfolio
The military said four US soldiers stationed in Baghdad were killed on June 29, bringing to 4 321 the number of US soldiers killed since the 2003-US led invasion, according to an AFP tally based on the website www.icasualties.org.
The president stepped up pressure on Iraq's leaders to take political steps to underwrite what the White House says are improving security conditions and also paid tribute to the role of US troops in the country.
"The fact that Iraqis are celebrating this day is a testament to the courage and capability and commitment of every single American who has served in Iraq," Obama said.
"Our troops have overcome every obstacle to extend this precious opportunity to the Iraqi people."
The White House also said on Tuesday that Obama had asked Vice President Joe Biden to take on a new portfolio overseeing Iraq policy, in consultation with US commander in Iraq General Ray Odierno and US ambassador Christopher Hill.
"Given his knowledge of the region, the number of times he's been there, he's perfectly suited for this type of role," Gibbs said.
Biden, who was chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations committee before becoming vice president, has made repeated trips to Iraq, and is playing a similar role overseeing a $787bn economic stimulus package.
- SAPA