Obama says to keep promise on Iraq drawdown
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U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday said he will keep the promise of ending combat mission in Iraq by August 31, 2010, as his administration pulls tens of thousands of troops out of that country.
"I made it clear that by August 31, 2010 America's combat mission in Iraq would end. And that is exactly what we are doing -- as promised, on schedule," said Obama.
In a speech to the national convention of the Disabled American Veterans in Atlanta, Georgia, Obama cited progress toward meeting the deadline of withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq, stating that the United States has closed or turned over hundreds of bases to Iraq, moving out millions of pieces of equipment.
"By the end of this month, we'll have brought more than 90,000 of our troops home from Iraq since I took office," he said.
The U.S. forces last year pulled out of Iraqi cities and are working to formally end combat operations by the end of this month, cutting the U.S. military force from just under 90,000 to 50,000. A full withdrawal is also in sight at the end of 2011.
