Obama to address nation to mark end of Iraq combat

**Shilo** Wed Aug 25, 2010 6:58 pm

Obama to address nation to mark end of Iraq combat

AP – In this Aug. 11, 2010 photo, U.S. Army Spc.Jason Frazier shows an Iraqi federal policeman how to look …

Slideshow:President Barack Obama
Play Video Barack Obama Video:GOP Blueprint for Victory? FOX News
Play Video Barack Obama Video:Dennis Miller on 'America Live' FOX News

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer Erica Werner, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 11 mins ago

VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. – President Barack Obama will address the [color:3827=#366388 !important][color:3827=#366388 !important]nation [color:3827=#366388 !important]from [color:3827=#366388 !important]the [color:3827=#366388 !important]Oval [color:3827=#366388 !important]Office and visit troops at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Tuesday to mark the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced the dual commemoration in a statement and Twitter post on Wednesday.
The speech will mark only the second address Obama has made from the [color:3827=#366388 !important][color:3827=#366388 !important]Oval [color:3827=#366388 !important]Office. He first spoke to the nation from the presidential office on June 15 about the Gulf oil spill.
Fort Bliss is a symbolic military venue. The sprawling Army base in El Paso, Texas, is home to the 1st [color:3827=#366388 !important][color:3827=#366388 !important]Armored [color:3827=#366388 !important]Division — "Old Ironsides" — and has been providing heavy armor throughout the war. Last week, some 600 soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team returned there in two groups after their latest tours.
Obama promised in 2009 to end the [color:3827=#366388 !important][color:3827=#366388 !important]formal [color:3827=#366388 !important]combat [color:3827=#366388 !important]mission by Aug. 31, and earlier this week the White House said the number of U.S. troops staged in Iraq had fallen below 50,000.
Iraq is scheduled to assume security for its own territory after Tuesday, with the U.S. falling into an advisory and backup role.
U.S.-led forces attacked Iraq in March 2003. More than 4,400 [color:3827=#366388 !important][color:3827=#366388 !important]U.S. [color:3827=#366388 !important]troops have subsequently died in the fighting.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100825/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_iraq#