Obama sticks to plan for troops pullout from Iraq

WASHINGTON - Despite recent violence in Iraq, the White House said Wednesday it has no second thoughts
about pulling US troops out from urban areas.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said General Ray Odierno, who oversees the multi-national forces in
Iraq and is in regular contact with President Obama, told the president “that we’re going to keep our deadline of
June 30th.”
“I know the president has had meetings and continues to have meetings about ensuring that we’re making
sufficient political progress on the ground,” Gibbs added.
Asked whether Obama would have any second thoughts about the pullout, Gibbs said “No, No.”
He noted that the president has had and would have more meetings to ensure “we’re making sufficient political
progress on the ground.”
“(The US command in Iraq) General Ray Odierno has mentioned that we have seen violence greatly decrease
even in the past many months from what it was, and he feels confident in moving forward,” said Gibbs.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced earlier on Wednesday that the day of June 30, the deadline for the
US troops to withdraw from Iraqi cities and towns, is a public holiday.
He has also described the day of US troops’ pullout a “great victory” and called on Iraqi people to celebrate the
event. “It is a great victory for Iraqis as we are going to take our first step towards ending the foreign presence in
Iraq,” Maliki told a conference in Baghdad on June 20.
However, he warned that militant groups will work hard to step up attacks to reverse security gains, calling on
Iraqis to unite to stop them.