Obama Tells Iraqis to “Take Responsibility”

Democracy Now! – On Tuesday, Obama addressed troops at Camp Victory, a US base near the Baghdad airport.

President Obama: “This is going to be a critical period, these next eighteen months. I was just discussing this with your commander, but I think it’s something that all of you know. It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis. They need to take responsibility for their country and for their sovereignty.”

Obama did not travel beyond the US military base. His visit came as nearly forty people were killed in a series of bombings around Baghdad. Earlier in the day, Obama wrapped up his visit to Turkey. Speaking before a town hall-style gathering of Turkish students in Istanbul, Obama was asked to explain his differences with the foreign policy of former President George W. Bush.

President Obama: “I opposed the war in Iraq. I thought it was a bad idea. Now that we’re there, I have a responsibility to make sure that as we bring troops out that we do so in a careful enough way that you don’t see a complete collapse into violence.”