Biden Makes Surprise Visit To Iraq

September 15, 2009 1:02 p.m. EST

Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday made an unannounced visit to Baghdad to discuss with Iraqi leaders the political reconciliation of tribal factions and autonomous regions following the removal of U.S. troops from the nation's cities and villages in June.

Biden meets with President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani and other officials. He will also visit American troops and meet with representatives of the United Nations mission in Iraq.

The Vice President "will convey the strong U.S. commitment to Iraq's future and national unity," the White House said.

It is the third trip this year to Baghdad for Biden, who has been appointed by the White House to work with Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and Amb. Christopher Hill in helping Iraqis "overcome their political differences and achieving the type of reconciliation that we all understand has yet to fully take place but needs to take place."

The United States completed its withdrawal from the nation's cities, towns and villages on June 30 as part of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed December last year. The agreement also requires that all American troops be redeployed from the entire country by Dec. 31, 2011.

The Pentagon plans to pull out all combat troops by August next year. A residual force of 35,000 to 50,000 troops, however, will remain to help in the transition until 2011.

There are currently 130,000 American troops or 14 U.S. brigades in Iraq. The drawdown requires that two brigades redeploy by year's end.

Gen. Charles Jacoby, the commanding general of Multinational Corps-Iraq, said in a Thursday briefing, "Our operations in Iraq are progressing, but our enemies here continue to challenge and test the Iraqi security forces. Many areas in Iraq remain dangerous... our enemies are resorting to a campaign of sensationalism through suffering, by directing attacks against Iraq's most vulnerable targets in an attempt to discredit the government of Iraq and the Iraqi security forces. We are seeing determined extremists, insurgents and terrorists employ IEDs against markets, shrines and other places where families gather and civilians go about their daily lives."

"Our partnership with the Iraqi security forces is very strong, so much so that I believe it is much better now than it was before 30 June," Jacoby added. "We continue to provide our advisers and trainers to support the Iraqi security forces who are securing Iraq's cities. Our combat forces that are outside Iraq's cities are employing a full spectrum of operations, partnered with Iraqi security forces, in order to deny safe havens for criminals and violent extremist groups."

Security has been complicated by, among others, disagreement over the boundaries of the Kurdistan Regional Government, which seeks to have Mosul and oil-rich Kirkuk under its control. The KRG had also entered into deals with oil companies while a national oil legislation was being passed by Parliament and despite warnings from U.S. officials.

"We play a role, a important security role, in the so-called disputed internal boundaries," Jacoby said in the same briefing. "What we do is, with Iraqi security forces, create a security environment where the political process can continue that helps the KRG and the GOI [Government of Iraq] resolve any differences politically. That's the solution to any tension that might exist between the KRG and the GOI."