U.S. President Barack Obama is addressing the nation on the end of the combat mission in Iraq, the security challenges there and the need to rebuild the United States.

In a national address from the White House, the president says the “historic moment” comes at a time of great uncertainty for many Americans, after nearly a decade of war and a “long and painful” recession.

He says the United States intends to “sustain and strenghten” its leadership in this young century.

He says much has changed since then-President George W. Bush announced the start of the war in March 2003, saying the war to disarm a state became a fight against an insurgency.  

He says terrorism and sectarian fighting threatened to tear apart Iraq.  He says thousands of Americans died in the war and tens of thousands have been wounded.

In the White House Oval Office address, President Obama declared an end to the American combat mission in Iraq and that Iraqis now have the lead responsibility for the security of their country.  

In doing so, the president noted that the conflict in Iraq has been one of America’s longest wars.  But he said at every turn, America’s men and women in uniform have served with courage and resolve.  

The president said that as commander-in-chief, he is incredibly proud of their service and that like all Americans, he is awed by their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families.

He said the Americans who have served in Iraq completed every mission they were given and defeated a regime that had terrorized its people.  The said U.S. forces, together with Iraqis and coalition partners who made huge sacrifices of their own, troops fought block by block to help Iraq seize the chance for a better future.  President Obama noted they shifted tactics to protect Iraqis, trained Iraqi security forces and took out terrorist leaders.

He said Iraq has the opportunity to embrace a new destiny, even though many challenges remain.

Mr. Obama says he is following through on his pledge as a candidate to end the war in Iraq.

He says his administration has removed nearly 100,000 U.S. troops from Iraq, closed or transferred hundreds of bases to the Iraqis and have moved millions of pieces of equipment out of Iraq.

He says that even though Iraq continues to have terrorist attacks, security incidents have been near the lowest on record since the war began.  He says Iraqi forces have “taken the fight to al-Qaida,” removing much of its leadership in Iraqi-led operations.

He encouraged Iraq’s leaders to “move forward with a sense of urgency” in forming an inclusive government.  Iraq has been in a political deadlock, after general elections in March produced no clear winner.

The president said that going forward, a transitional force of U.S. troops will remain in Iraq with a different mission: advising and assisting Iraq’s Security Forces; supporting Iraqi troops in targeted counter-terrorism missions; and protecting American civilians.

He said that consistent with a U.S. agreement with the Iraqi government, all U.S. troops will leave Iraq by the end of next year.

Mr. Obama said that as the U.S. military draws down, America’s dedicated civilians -diplomats, aid workers, and advisors -are moving into the lead to support Iraq as it strengthens its government, resolves political disputes, resettles those displaced by war, and builds ties with the region and the world.  He said that is a message that Vice President Biden is delivering to the Iraqi people through his visit there.

The president said this new approach reflects our long-term partnership with Iraq – one based upon mutual interests, and mutual respect. He said violence will not end with the U. S. combat mission.  He said extremists will continue to set off bombs, attack Iraqi civilians and try to spark sectarian strife.  But he said ultimately, these terrorists will fail to achieve their goals.

The president said Iraqis are a proud people, saying they have rejected sectarian war, and have no interest in endless destruction. He said only Iraqis can resolve their differences and police their streets and that only Iraqis can build a democracy within their borders.  He said America will provide support for the Iraqi people as both a friend and a partner.
The president says ending the war is not only in Iraq’s interest, it is in the interest of the United States as well.

He says the United States has paid a “huge price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people.”  Mr. Obama said the United States has met its responsibility in what he called a “remarkable chapter” in the history of the United States and Iraq.

He says it is now time to move forward.

The president said he spoke to former President George W. Bush earlier Tuesday, saying it is well known that he disagreed with the former president on the decision to go to war.

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