Obama visits with troops in Iraq

During his recent international tour, President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to troops serving on the front lines in Iraq. This visit marks the first time Obama has met with troops in the combat zone since taking office in January.

Obama took the opportunity to praise America's fighting men and women for their accomplishments in the conflict--specifically ousting Saddam Hussein, reducing fractious violence, and holding multiple national elections. Obama stressed responsibility in his approach to drawing down the U.S. presence in Iraq, to which he received a round of applause for the troops.



Obama then had a long sit-down at Camp Victory with U.S. commanders to assess the situationon the ground. Obama also met with key Iraqi leaders during his visit and called for increased cooperation among Iraqi factions to help ease the transition of U.S. troops out of the country.

The Washington Post reported that Obama's visit was met warmly by the Iraqi public and American troops alike.


(Media, Top: President Obama receives a fist-jab as he greets troops at Camp Victory in Iraq, White House photo by Pete Sousa. Middle: Video of Obama's speech to troops at Camp Victory, praising their accomplishments throughout the war in Iraq. Public video from the White House. Bottom: Obama pins an Army Sergeant with his Purple Heart medal during an awards ceremony at Camp Victory. White House photo by Pete Sousa. All White House media materials are part of the Creative Commons within the public domain.)