June 25
BARACK Obama is having no second thoughts about pulling US troops out of Iraqi cities, despite attacks that have killed 150 people in the past week, the White House says.
The latest incident, just six days before a deadline for American soldiers to withdraw from the cities, towns and villages under an agreement with Iraq, killed at least 62 people when a bomb went off in a Baghdad market.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the top US commander in Iraq, General Ray Odierno, had told Mr Obama the deadline would be kept.
“I know the president has had meetings and continues to have meetings about ensuring that we're making sufficient political progress on the ground,” Mr Gibbs said.
“General Odierno has mentioned that we have seen violence greatly decrease even in the past many months from what it was, and he feels confident in moving forward.”
Asked whether Mr Obama had any second thoughts about the pull back, or whether he had approached the Iraqi government about a change in arrangements, Mr Gibbs said: “No, No.”
Violence has dropped markedly in Iraq in recent months, with May seeing the lowest Iraqi death toll since the 2003 invasion. But attacks remain common, particularly in Baghdad and Mosul.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki warned earlier this month that insurgents and militiamen were likely to step up their attacks in the coming weeks in a bid to undermine confidence in the Iraqi security forces.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the top US commander in Iraq, General Ray Odierno, had told Mr Obama the deadline would be kept.
“I know the president has had meetings and continues to have meetings about ensuring that we're making sufficient political progress on the ground,” Mr Gibbs said.
“General Odierno has mentioned that we have seen violence greatly decrease even in the past many months from what it was, and he feels confident in moving forward.”
Asked whether Mr Obama had any second thoughts about the pull back, or whether he had approached the Iraqi government about a change in arrangements, Mr Gibbs said: “No, No.”
Violence has dropped markedly in Iraq in recent months, with May seeing the lowest Iraqi death toll since the 2003 invasion. But attacks remain common, particularly in Baghdad and Mosul.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki warned earlier this month that insurgents and militiamen were likely to step up their attacks in the coming weeks in a bid to undermine confidence in the Iraqi security forces.
Source: The Australian
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