Obama: Time to turn the page in Iraq

Obama, who inherited the war from President George W. Bush and is fighting another in Afghanistan, said he had fulfilled a 2008 campaign promise to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told Iraqis their country "today is sovereign and independent" but many are apprehensive as U.S. military might is scaled down, especially in the midst of continuing violence and a stalemate in efforts to form a new government six months after an inconclusive election.

After seven years of bloodshed that has brought sacrifice from Americans and Iraqis and consumed vast resources from tight budgets, Obama said: "Now, it is time to turn the page."

"Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country," he said in excerpts of a televised speech he was to deliver from the Oval Office at 8 p.m. EDT.

Obama hailed the removal of all but 50,000 U.S. troops, who will have a training and advisory role, saying: "This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office."

Almost a trillion dollars have been spent and more than 4,400 U.S. soldiers and at least 100,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the 2003 invasion. A recent CBS News poll found 72 percent of Americans now believe the war was not worth the loss of American lives.

The impasse in Iraq has raised tensions as politicians squabble over power and insurgents carry out attacks aimed at undermining faith in domestic security forces.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari warned Iraq's neighbors against interfering as U.S. troops withdraw by an end-2011 deadline set out in a bilateral security pact.

"We have warned all of them there wouldn't be any vacuum, and if there would be a vacuum, the only people who will fill that vacuum are the Iraqis themselves," he said.

THE ECONOMY AND ELECTIONS

Obama sought to tie the end of the combat mission in Iraq with his efforts to bring down a 9.5 percent jobless rate that is endangering Democratic rule in Washington in the November 2 congressional elections.

Americans are looking to Obama for leadership on boosting the U.S. economy and some analysts were questioning his foreign policy focus this week -- Iraq and the Middle East -- at a time of fears of a double-dip recession.

"Today, our most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work," Obama said. "This will be difficult. But in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my central responsibility as president."

Obama visited the U.S. Army base at Fort Bliss, Texas, earlier on Tuesday to celebrate the milestone but stressed his Oval Office speech should not be seen as a "victory lap."