Obama: Time for Iraqis to 'take responsibility'

BAGHDAD - Cheered wildly by U.S. troops, President Barack Obama flew unannounced into Iraq on Tuesday and promptly declared it is time for Iraqis "take responsibility for their country" after America's commitment of six years and thousands of lives.

"You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country," the president said as he made a brief inspection of a war he opposed as candidate and now vows to end as commander in chief. "That is an extraordinary achievement."

A total of 4,266 U.S. troops have lost their lives in Iraq since March 2003, and Obama said American forces had "performed brilliantly ... under enormous strain."

"It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis," he said as an estimated 600 troops cheered. "They need to take responsibility for their country." However, the president added that "there is still a lot of work to do here."

'I love you'
Inside a marble palace built by Saddam Hussein to celebrate Iraq's war victory over Iran, Obama was interrupted repeatedly with cheers from the troops.

"I love you," someone in the crowd shouted out. "I love you back," the commander in chief replied.

Scores of troops held digital cameras above their heads, snapping pictures and recording video. Vice president Joe Biden's son, Capt. Beau Biden, who is serving with the Army National Guard, was among the troops who heard Obama's speech.

During his five-hour stopover, Obama also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who said afterward that he had "assured the president that all the progress that has been made in the security area will continue."

Obama said he had "strongly encouraged" the Iraqi leader to take steps to unite political factions, including integrating Sunnis into the government and security forces.

The president said he decided to stop in Iraq on his way home to Washington to thank the troops for their work and to "tell them how grateful we are."

Sgt. First Class Floyd Robinson, 38, from Bessemer, Ala., said he was impressed that Obama had visited Iraq within months of being elected. "Soldiers need to see their commander in chief," Robinson said. "It gives everybody great pride knowing that he just took office, but he still stopped by to say a few words."

Baghdad bombing
Obama's gleaming white and blue Air Force One touched down hours after a car bomb exploded in a Shiite neighborhood of the capital city, a deadly reminder of the violence that still threatens the 139,000 American forces stationed in the country.

Video   President greets troops April 7: President Obama addresses troops at Camp Victory in Baghdad. AP reporter Jennifer Loven has details on his unannounced visit to Iraq. MSNBC

The president has already announced plans to withdraw most U.S. combat troops from Iraq by August 2010. However, as many as 50,000 are expected to remain in the country beyond that to perform counterterrorism duties.

Obama also met Tuesday with Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, at Camp Victory, which is the largest U.S. military facility in the country.

Obama spoke favorably of political progress being made in Iraq but also expressed concern that recent gains could deteriorate with the upcoming national elections.

"It's important for us to use all of our influence to encourage the parties to resolve these issues in ways that are equitable. I think that my presence here can help do that," he said.

Power-sharing between Shiites and Sunnis, and how to distribute oil revenues, are among the divisive issues. 

The visit came at the conclusion of a long overseas trip that included economic and NATO summits in Europe and two days in Turkey.

Shortly before leaving Turkey, the president held out Iraq as an example of the change he seeks in policies inherited from former President George W. Bush.

"Moving the ship of state takes time," he told a group of students in Istanbul. He noted his long-standing opposition to the war, yet said, "Now that we're there," the U.S. troop withdrawal has to be done "in a careful enough way that we don't see a collapse into violence."

In office only 11 weeks, Obama has already announced plans to withdraw most U.S. combat troops on a 19-month timetable. The drawdown is to begin slowly, so American forces can provide security for Iraqi elections, then accelerate in 2010. As many as 50,000 troops are expected to remain in the country at the end of the 19 months to perform counterterrorism duties.

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