Obama to announce plan to withdraw troops from Iraq soon – WH

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: U.S. President Barack Obama’s review of how to wind down the war in Iraq will conclude soon, the White House said Wednesday ahead of his first Pentagon session with military advisers. The new commander in chief scheduled an afternoon briefing at the Defense Department’s headquarters with the four military service leaders, one more step toward fulfilling his promise of withdrawing all combat troops from Iraq. For both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama is in the midst of hearing from military commanders and advisers about how best to proceed. “I don’t anticipate the process will take an inordinate amount of time,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters. Gibbs said Obama’s process is deliberate as he moves toward changing the mission in Iraq. Asked when Obama will be ready to speak about his decisions on that war, Gibbs said: “I think it will be relatively soon. I don’t want to set an exact date, though I think it will be relatively shortly.” Defense officials have said they can meet Obama’s campaign pledge, but several have indicated that a fast withdrawal could upset the fragile security now in Iraq. “We are developing other options as well,” Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday. “We are laying out, with each of the options we will present to him, our view – each of the commander’s – of the risks associated with that timeline.” Obama has asked for more information behind assumptions and for additional analysis, Gates said. “I think that the president will listen to the commanders,” he said. The new president also has said he would adjust his timeline if it would risk the safety of U.S. troops remaining behind to train Iraqis and fight al-Qaeda or if it would cause backsliding in Iraqi stability. SH (S) 1