Day 39: Obama Lays Out Iraq Withdrawal Plan

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: White House

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

On his thirty-ninth day in office, President Obama laid out his plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

The president said that he would remove all combat troops from Iraq by August 31st of next year (though up to 50,000 "non-combat" troops will remain) and that all troops will be out of the country by the end of 2011 (though Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the U.S. should be prepared to have troops there longer).

"We cannot sustain indefinitely a commitment that has put a strain on our military, and will cost the American people nearly a trillion dollars," the president said. "America's men and women in uniform have fought block by block, province by province, year after year, to give the Iraqis this chance to choose a better future. Now, we must ask the Iraqi people to seize it."

Check out Chip Reid's CBS Evening News report on the withdrawal plan below.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by dragonlordd March 2, 2009 8:59 AM EST: I found that article a little countridicting, but i also find how our gov't is arranged a little of the same. As we all know the president is commander in chief of the U.S. army. Yet the president cannot keep american units in action for too long without reporting to congress. I do know this though, I've got a few family relatives whos units are now preparing to go to iraq. I hope we can end this little squable soon so my family can be back.; Reply to this comment


by johnhkennedy March 1, 2009 1:34 PM EST: Obama said,"no one is above the law?
SO Congress must demand & the Justice Dept must appoint a Special Prosecutor with Subpoena Powers & authority to indict all found to have violated Federal Laws, Constitution or Geneva Convention on Torture. The State of Limitations starts to run out in March. Prosecution will stop unnecessary wars & damage to our economy caused by presidential lies & Abuse Of Power. Bush & Cheney confessed that they ordered torture. Sen. Leahy & Rep. John Conyers' "commissions" will be nothing but a white wash and a burial for all time of the true facts.

Sign the Petition To Prosecute at
http://IndictBushNow.org

Have your local progressive group Endorse this Letter to Attorney General Holder
http://ProsecuteBushCheney.org

Prosecute so our 30,000+ US Soldiers who were killed or maimed have not suffered in vain; Reply to this comment