Monday, August 30, 2010

Vice President Joe Biden makes surprise visit to Iraq


August 30, 2010 8:35 am

Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Iraq on Monday as part of the formal end of the United States' combat role in Iraq, the White House announced.

Biden will also hold talks with Iraqi officials, who have been struggling to form a new government.

This is Biden's sixth trip to Iraq since January 2009, when the Obama administration took office.

[Updated at 8:53 a.m.: Biden was greeted by Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, Gen. Ray Odierno, the current American commander, and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari. The temperature was 113 degrees Fahrenheit.]

There are currently less than 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, down from the high of 160,000 under former President George W. Bush. Combat troops completed their withdrawal last week. The remaining U.S. troops will assist and train Iraqi troops.

President Obama is scheduled to address the nation on Tuesday on Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to the White House, Biden will meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Vice President Tariq Hashimi, Vice President Adil Abd Mahdi and Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.

-- Michael Muskal
Twitter.com/LATimesmuskal
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Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dcnow/2010/08/biden-in-surprise-visit-to-iraq.html
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