Obama reiterates to withdraw all troops from Iraq as scheduled

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday reiterated that the U.S. troops will completely withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011 as scheduled, and that the United States supports Iraq's political reconciliation process.

"We'll move forward with our strategy to responsibly remove all American combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next August and to fulfill our commitment to remove all American troops from Iraq by the end of 2011," said the president, after his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in the White House.

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arrive at a joint press conference in the  Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC, July 22, 2009. Obama met Maliki here on Wednesday, the first between the two sides since US troops withdrew from Iraqi cities at the end of June.(Xinhua/Zhang Yan)

It is the first meeting between Obama and Maliki since U.S. troops withdrew from Iraqi cities at the end of June.

Though the United States currently has stationed about 130,000 troops in Iraq, its strategic focus in the country has been shifting from combating against insurgents to training Iraqi security forces, as well as supporting political reconciliation process.

"American troops have the capability, the support, and flexibility they need to stand with our Iraqi partners on behalf of a sovereign, secure, and self-reliant Iraq," said Obama, adding that he believes that Iraq's future "belongs to those who would build."

"America strongly supports efforts by the Iraqi government to promote national unity, which will help ensure that people in all parts of Iraq can live in peace and prosperity," said the president.

Obama said the administration will continue helping the Iraqi government to build capacity to provide basic services and to promote the rule of law, adding that the two governments will deepen cooperation on security, trade, commerce, culture, science and education.

Maliki described his first meeting with Obama in the White House is "positive and constructive," saying that the two sides share commitment to a peaceful, stable, prosperous and sovereign Iraq.

Echoing Obama's pledge to withdraw all troops from Iraq as scheduled, Maliki said the Iraqi security forces has "high capability" to impose peace and security after the complete withdrawal of the U.S. troops.