US combat role in Iraq set to end on schedule, says Barack Obam

US combat role in Iraq set to end on schedule, says Barack Obama

President warns plan to turn over military responsibility to Iraq by end of August will not mean an end to conflict or casualties
Barack Obama speaking at the Disabled American Veterans conference Barack Obama speaking at the Disabled American Veterans conference.

Barack Obama declared today that he is on the brink of fulfilling a campaign promise to end US combat operations in Iraq – seven years after his predecessor's triumphalist pronouncement that the war was won and the mission accomplished.

But the president warned that the plan to turn over military responsibility to the Iraqi government by the end of this month would not mean an end to the conflict or to US casualties in what he once called a "dumb war".

Amid increasing doubts over the growing war in Afghanistan, Obama sought to shift attention to what the administration is heralding as the success of its strategy to pull troops away from the frontline in Iraq.

"As a candidate for president, I pledged to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end. Shortly after taking office, I announced our new strategy for Iraq and for a transition to full Iraqi responsibility. I made it clear that by August 31, America's combat mission in Iraq would end. And that is exactly what we are doing – as promised and on schedule," Obama told the Disabled American Veterans convention in Atlanta.

"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. By the end of this month, we'll have brought more than 90,000 of our troops home from Iraq since I took office – more than 90,000 have come home."

Obama said that, as agreed with the Iraqi government, the US would maintain a transitional force of about 50,000 troops until the military withdrawal is completed at the end of next year.

"During this period, our forces will have a focused mission: supporting and training Iraqi forces, partnering with Iraqis in counter-terrorism missions, and protecting our civilian and military efforts. These are dangerous tasks. There are still those with bombs and bullets who will try to stop Iraq's progress, and the hard truth is we have not seen the end of American sacrifice in Iraq," he said.

"But make no mistake, our commitment in Iraq is changing – from a military effort led by our troops to a civilian effort led by our diplomats. And as we mark the end of America's combat mission in Iraq, a grateful America must pay tribute to all who served there."

The president did not declare victory but he did say that the violence in Iraq, which has claimed more than 3,400 US lives in combat and caused tens of thousands of Iraqi deaths, was now at one of its lowest points since the 2003 invasion.

Obama, who opposed the invasion, acknowledged that there were genuine differences over the war but, in contrast to the Vietnam conflict, he noted that popular support for the more than 1 million troops who served in Iraq had not wavered. He praised the troops but took what appeared to be a pointed dig at some members of George Bush's administration.

"While our country has sometimes been divided, they have fought together as one. While other individuals and institutions have shirked responsibility, they have welcomed it. And while it is easy to be daunted by overwhelming challenges, the generation that has served in Iraq has overcome every test before them," he said.

Obama is now facing a more difficult test than Iraq: American casualties in Afghanistan last month surged to their highest levels in what is now the longest conflict in US history. The president, already battered by having to fire General Stanley McChrystal, is grappling with growing doubts about the conduct of the war which have been compounded by the revelations exposed in the 90,000 pages of secret military documents released by WikiLeaks.

Obama, who has tripled the number of US troops in Afghanistan since he took office, acknowledged that "the effort in Afghanistan has been long and has been difficult", but said he remained committed to fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida.

"We will continue to face huge challenges in Afghanistan," he said. "But it's important that the American people know that we are making progress and we are focused on goals that are clear and achievable."

The president's strategy is to start bringing some of the troops home in a year, but he said he would not permit terrorists to once more gain a foothold in Afghanistan from which to attack the US. "As president of the United States I refuse to let that happen," he said.

Obama says Iraq war will end 'on schedule'

Monday, 2 August 2010

Obama cited progress toward meeting his deadline of withdrawing all US combat troops from Iraq by the end of this month

President Barack Obama declared today that the Iraq war was nearing an end "on schedule".

Mr Obama cited progress toward meeting his deadline of withdrawing all US combat troops from Iraq by the end of this month.

A transitional force of 50,000 troops will remain to train Iraqi security forces, conduct counterterrorism operations and provide security for US civilian efforts. Under an agreement negotiated in 2008 with the Iraqis, all American troops are to be gone from Iraq by the end of next year.

"The hard truth is we have not seen the end of American sacrifice in Iraq," Mr Obama said.

"But make no mistake, our commitment in Iraq is changing - from a military effort led by our troops to a civilian effort led by our diplomats."

The main message of Mr Obama's speech to disabled war veterans was the move toward fulfilment of his campaign promise to end the Iraq war, a position that perhaps most defined his 2008 candidacy and was key to his base of support in the liberal wing of his Democratic Party.

With pivotal November congressional elections approaching, the White House wants to highlight the progress as a success story.

The speech was only the first in a series planned for this month, with others to be headlined by the president as well as vice president Joe Biden and other administration officials.

But the rhetoric comes amid deep concerns about Iraq's stability.

The US has stepped up the pressure on Iraqi leaders to overcome a five-month political impasse that has prevented the formation of a new government following elections earlier this year.

In a reminder of Iraq's fragility, two bombings and a drive-by shooting killed eight people today.

With such attacks remaining a daily occurrence, especially in Baghdad, questions persist about the readiness of Iraqi security forces to take over for the Americans.

Mr Obama said, "Violence in Iraq continues to be near the lowest it's been in years," but figures released by Iraqi authorities over the weekend - dismissed by the US military as too high - showed July to be the deadliest month for Iraqis in more than two years.

At the same time Mr Obama has drawn down forces in Iraq, he has increased the US commitment in Afghanistan, ordering a surge of 30,000 additional troops for the nine-year mission there.

But with casualties on the rise, fresh concerns have arisen - with some saying the Afghanistan war should be ended and others questioning Mr Obama's plan to begin winding it down as soon as next July. Critics say such a timetable will embolden the Taliban and other extremist groups in the region.

With such debate and low public support, the White House has launched a fresh effort to paint the US goals in Afghanistan as modest: keeping the region from being a haven for terrorists.

"We face huge challenges in Afghanistan," Mr Obama said today. "But it's important that the American people know that we are making progress and we're focused on goals that are clear and achievable."

Heatstroke kills four in Abu Dhabi

four in Abu Dhabi

Three out of the four victims were people who had apparently lost their way in the desert and did not receive medical attention in time. The fourth victim was a labourer, police said.

• A labourer tries to beat the summer heat at a construction site in Dubai’s Business Bay.
• Image Credit: Pankaj Sharma/Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: At least four deaths have been recorded in Abu Dhabi in the past two months due to heatstroke, Abu Dhabi police told Gulf News.

Three out of the four victims were people who had apparently lost their way in the desert and did not receive medical attention in time. The fourth victim was a labourer, police said.

Heatstroke is a medical condition which arises when the body is unable to control its temperature.

The initial stage of the condition is called heat exhaustion, which results from excessive loss of water and salts from the body. In the absence of medical attention and continued exposure to high temperatures, it progressively worsens into a heatstroke, which can be fatal.

"There were four heatstroke victims during the months of June and July," said a police official, who asked not to be named.

An Indian construction worker, identified only as Z.A.M., was the first victim on June 12. "He was taken to the Shaikh Khalifa Medical City for treatment but could not be saved," the police spokesman said.

A 50-year-old Emirati man died from heatstroke on June 30. "Z.M. was retired and he owned a farm. He may have been inspecting it, while he lost his way and was found dead in the desert," the official said.

Two more cases were recorded on July 11 and July 25. Both the victims were Pakistani nationals who were working as shepherds. Aged 26 and 30, both are believed to have lost their way in the desert.

"With the strict enforcement of the mid-day break rule, cases of heat exhaustion and stroke have reduced considerably over the years," the spokesman said.

Extra precautions

Meanwhile, a doctor advised residents, especially outdoor workers, to take extra precautions this summer as it coincided with Ramadan.

Dr Suresh Babu, a general practitioner at Al Ahalia hospital, who handles emergency cases, said: "Every day there are about one to two cases of heat exhaustion that come to us, but heatstroke is very rare."

He said it was the same as every year, but this year he had seen more severe cases comparatively.

"This year, people need to be extra careful since Ramadan falls in August," he advised. Usually heat-related cases were reported between June and August.

"Most of the patients whom we treated were construction workers, glass fabricators etc, whose work involves a lot of time outdoors," he said.

The symptoms of exhaustion included giddiness, muscle cramps, excess sweating, and palpitation. If left untreated, the situation worsened to vomiting and loss of consciousness, Dr Babu added. "The progress from exhaustion to stroke is slow and can be prevented if the victim is attended to," he said.

The first step involves removing the patient to cooler temperatures, replenishing lost water and salts, and cooling the person's body.

He also warned that people with other medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension must be cautious since medications they might be taking could increase their susceptibility to heat-related problems.