Obama: Iraq Troop Drawdown Is on Schedule, 'as Promised'

In a speech to the Disabled American Veterans in Atlanta on Monday, President Barack Obama sought to reassure an increasingly skeptical American public that he is firmly in control of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and that the United States' military commitment in those regions is not indefinite. As evidence, the president reminded the audience of a promise made at the start of his presidency to end the American military combat presence in Iraq by Aug. 31, 2010 -- a pledge he is on track to fulfill. "By the end of this month, we'll have brought more than 90,000 of our troops home from Iraq since I took office," Obama announced, "more than 90,000."

Unlike Afghanistan, where the number of military personnel has increased and a projected 2011 withdrawal remains rife with complication, Iraq presents a (somewhat) clearer picture: In February 2009, there were 144,000 U.S. troops in the country. By the end of August, only a transitional force of 50,000 U.S. troops is scheduled to remain. According to the White House, this force will not be involved in active combat but will "train and advise Iraqi Security Forces; conduct partnered and targeted counterterrorism operations; and protect ongoing U.S. civilian and military efforts." Per an agreement with the Iraqi government, Obama announced that the U.S. is to maintain this force until a planned complete withdrawal of forces from the country by the end of 2011.

Faced with a hostile debate over the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, the president's effort to turn the country's attention back to Iraq is a calculated move to underscore American military success in the Middle East at a time when news has been particularly grim -- July was the deadliest month on record for American troops since the conflict in Afghanistan began nine years ago. Obama assured the audience that the drawdown in Iraq was proceeding "as promised, on schedule," noting that "already, we have closed or turned over to Iraq hundreds of bases. We're moving out millions of pieces of equipment in one of the largest logistics operations that we've seen in decades."

The president touted progress made in the region, citing statistics that "violence in Iraq continues to be near the lowest it's been in years." In Afghanistan, he noted progress in battling the Taliban by "targeting their leaders, challenging them in regions where they'd had free rein, and training Afghan National Security Forces." On the civilian front, the president asserted there is "greater accountability," noting that "the Afghan government has taken concrete steps to foster development, to combat corruption, and to put forward a reintegration plan that allows Afghans to lay down their arms." In Pakistan, he added, "we've seen the government begin to take the fight to violent extremists within its borders. Major blows have been struck against al-Qaeda and its leadership."

Yet despite the administration's attempts to champion Iraq as a success story, the country remains beset by problems. Underscoring the difficulty of the situation there, on Monday The New York Times reported that Iraq's government still struggles to deliver electricity to its citizens, with the power shortages ultimately reflecting "a dysfunctional government that remains deadlocked and unresponsive to popular will." The Los Angeles Times echoed this dysfunction, also reporting Monday that it seems "all but certain that the American combat mission here will end without an elected Iraqi government in place," and that Iraqis fear violence will intensify "as tensions increase between political factions and as insurgents seek to take advantage of the vacuum left by the departing troops."

In a press gaggle aboard Air Force One en route to Atlanta on Monday morning, Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton responded by saying: "When you consider that last time it took [the Iraqis] six months to put together the government, the fact that there's a stable transitional government in place right now is a sign that this process is working."

For his part, the president was far from unfurling a "Mission Accomplished" banner. He reminded the audience that those 50,000 transitional troops to be left in Iraq at the end of the month would be charged with "dangerous tasks" and that "there are still those with bombs and bullets who will try to stop Iraq's progress." He reminded the audience that "the hard truth is that we have not seen an end to American sacrifice in Iraq," but added, "make no mistake, our commitment in Iraq is changing."

According to the White House, by September there will be approximately 146,000 U.S. troops in the two regions: 50,000 in Iraq and 96,000 in Afghanistan.