Obama's Iraq plan

US President Barack Obama unveiled his timeline to withdraw US forces from Iraq.

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US President Barack Obama unveiled his timeline to withdraw US forces from Iraq, with combat units expected to leave by August 2010. The decision will wind down the unpopular six-year war but leave behind up to 50,000 troops.

Deborah Lutterbeck reports from Washington

STORY:

US President Barack Obama chose Camp Lejune North Carolina to announce plans to pull U.S. combat forces out of Iraq by August 2010. The decision will wind down the unpopular six-year war but leave behind up to 50,000 troops.

SOUNDBITE: US President Barack Obama, saying (English):

"Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end."

The announcement keeps a major campaign promise as Obama concentrates on beefing up the U.S presence in Afghanistan.

SOUNDBITE: US President Barack Obama, saying (English):

"As a candidate for President, I made clear my support for a timeline of 16 months to carry out this drawdown, while pledging to consult closely with our military commanders upon taking office to ensure that we preserve the gains we've made and protect our troops. Those consultations are now complete, and I have chosen a timeline that will remove our combat brigades over the next 18 months."

The new timetable reflects a turning point in an unpopular war in which more than 4,000 US troops have died. Obama said the fighting is not over yet.

SOUNDBITE: US President Barack Obama, saying (English):

"But let there be no doubt: Iraq is not yet secure, and there will be difficult days ahead. Violence will continue to be a part of life in Iraq. Too many fundamental political questions about Iraq's future remain unresolved,"

Up to 50,000 of the 142,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq will remain in mostly non-combatant positions.

Cris Preble is with the libertarian Cato Institute

SOUNDBITE: Cris Preble is with the libertarian Cato Institute, saying (English):

"The reason we are staying in Iraq longer is that we are not confident, this is the argument that the Obama Administration is making, we are not confident that the political process is well enough established that it can survive a test of violence if one or more groups chooses to withdraw from that process."

Obama's decision to leave a sizeable force to bolster stability was welcomed by Republican lawmakers, but caught some Democrats by surprise.

Obama has reserved the right to revisit any plans in line with U.S. national interests.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.