Direct military leaders to end war in Iraq
Barack Obama
On "my first day in office, I would give the military a new mission: ending this war".
Obameter
Promise Kept
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
On Jan. 21, 2009 — his first full day in office — President Obama met privately with the military commanders in charge of Iraq.
The White House announced that morning that attendees were to expected to include the following: Vice President Joe Biden; a representative from the State Department; Defense Secretary Robert Gates; White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel; national security adviser Gen. James Jones; chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen; Gen. David Petraeus, commander in chief, U.S. Central Command; U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker; and Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq. Odierno was expected to join via video conference.
After the meeting, Obama issued a statement, included below in its entirety:
"This afternoon, I met with our ambassador to Iraq, the commander in Iraq, and the overall theater commander in the region in order to get a full update on the situation in Iraq. Key members of my Cabinet and senior national security officials also participated in this meeting.
"The meeting was productive and I very much appreciated receiving assessments from these experienced and dedicated individuals. During the discussion, I asked the military leadership to engage in additional planning necessary to execute a responsible military drawdown from Iraq.
"In the coming days and weeks, I will also visit the Department of Defense to consult with the Joint Chiefs on these issues, and we will undertake a full review of the situation in Afghanistan in order to develop a comprehensive policy for the entire region."
Promise Kept.
The White House Office of the Press Secretary, statement from President Obama, Jan. 21, 2009