Maliki tells Obama Iraqis ready to receive security responsibilities

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told U.S. President Barack Obama in a telephone call that Iraqi forces are ready to receive security responsibilities in the country, according to Maliki’s media advisor on Friday. “Oabam phoned Maliki a couple of hours ago to renew his country’s commitment to the framework agreement signed between Iraq and the United States and the items of the status of forces agreement (SOFA) on U.S. forces’ pullout from Iraq,” Yassin Majeed told IraqiNews.com news agency. “Obama reiterated to Maliki that all combat operations in Iraq would end by late August 2010 and that the last U.S. soldier will leave Iraq on December 31, 2011,” Majeed said. Obama had earlier announced on Friday his plan to end combat operations and start withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq on August 31, 2010. Obama made the announcement in a speech to military troops and officers at Camp LeJeune (leh-JUHN) N.C. He said his administration will “proceed cautiously” on the withdrawal and that U.S. commanders will bring it about in close consultation with the Iraqi government. During his campaign for the presidency, Obama had advocated pulling troops out within 16 months of taking office. The timeline he announced Friday, involving roughly 100,000 troops, was two months longer. It still hastens the U.S. exit, nevertheless. Obama also said that between 35,000 and 50,000 troops will initially remain there to help train Iraqi forces and undertake counter-terrorism missions. AmR (S) 1