[…] President Obama says the approval of a long-delayed election law by the Iraqi parliament is an important milestone. Obama says it helps clear the way for a planned withdrawal of American combat troops. Shortly after the Iraqi parliament approved the new election law, Obama went before reporters at the White House. “This is an important milestone as the Iraqi people continue to take responsibility for their future,” he said.

[…] There were hundreds of people turned away, and more people are still coming in and standing in the back, which I think is a great tribute to the importance of this conference and the understanding of the significant opportunities that exist for business and investment in Iraq. We are excited in the Obama Administration to be part of this transition that is occurring in Iraq.

[…] President Obama praised the democratic commitment of the Iraqi people and their government as he also called for timely passage of a new election law for January 2010 parliamentary elections. Obama met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki October 20 at the White House. “We had a wide-ranging discussion about the continuing progress that Iraq is making,” Obama said after a nearly hourlong Oval Office meeting.

[…] Hello, everybody. Before I discuss the meeting that I've just had with Prime Minister Maliki I just want to make a brief statement about Afghanistan. I had the opportunity to speak with President Karzai this morning and I wanted to congratulate him on accepting the certification of the recent election. As we all know, this has been a very difficult time in Afghanistan to not only carry out a election under difficult circumstances, where there were a whole host of security issues that had to be resolved, but also post-election a lot of uncertainty.

[…] Mr. Prime Minister, thank you once again for the welcome. I'm delighted to be back in Baghdad to discuss with the Prime Minister and his advisers issues of mutual interest. And I think we concluded some very productive talks. And once again, Mr. Prime Minister, I want to thank you for your hospitality as well as your leadership. And I want to assure -- I've assured the Prime Minister that the United States' commitment to strengthen our relationship with Iraq remains strong.

[…] The U.S. ambassador to Iraq says the United States will withdraw all combat forces by August 2010 and all remaining U.S. forces, advisers and trainers by December 2011. “We are holding to this timetable,” Ambassador Christopher Hill told the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee September 10. “First of all, I do believe Iraq is making progress such that the president’s timetable for withdrawal of our troops, which was something that was supported by the previous administration when it drew up the security agreement, is absolutely achievable.”

[…] Stating that the United States is in the midst of a transition to Iraqi responsibility, President Obama said all U.S. forces are on schedule to be fully withdrawn from Iraq by the end of 2011. “Violence continues to be down, and Iraqis are taking responsibility for their future,” Obama said at an afternoon press conference at the White House July 22 with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. “The success of this transition is critically important to the security and prosperity of our people, and it is a top priority of my administration.”

[…] Approximately 1,350 Palestinian refugees from Iraq are being considered for resettlement in the United States after being referred to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). A State Department spokesman told America.gov July 13 that the resettlement process for the group actually began in 2008, and so far 24 Palestinians from Iraq have arrived in the United States.

[…] Thank you very much. Well, it is wonderful to see all these do-gooders in one room. (Laughter.) And it is always a dangerous thing trying to follow Geoffrey Canada. (Laughter.) But I thank you all for being here. Before we begin the subject of today's gathering, I want to say a few words about an important milestone that we've reached in Iraq. Today, American troops have transferred control of all Iraqi cities and towns to Iraq's government and security forces.

[…] The overall level of violence in Iraq continues to be low and Iraqis are showing a tendency to work within the political system as the January 16, 2010, parliamentary elections approach, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill says. Speaking to reporters at the State Department June 18, Hill also said U.S. forces will fully comply with the security agreement between Iraq and the United States.

[…] “Let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible.

[…] It is encouraging to both see and hear about the progress that is being made in Iraq, and that came through to me not only in my official meetings with the foreign minister, the prime minister, and the president, but also with the special representative of the secretary general of the United Nations. The special representative briefed me about the work that the UN is doing, including the recently concluded report on disputed internal borders.

[…] The Department of State is facilitating the travel to Baghdad, Iraq of a delegation of nine senior high-technology company representatives Sunday, April 19 to April 23. This will be the first delegation of its kind to Iraq. While in Iraq, the group will explore new opportunities to support Iraqi government and non-government stakeholders in Iraq’s emerging new media industry.

[…] With that reality as my focus, today I send to the Congress a supplemental appropriations request totaling $83.4 billion that will fund our ongoing military, diplomatic, and intelligence operations. Nearly 95 percent of these funds will be used to support our men and women in uniform as they help the people of Iraq to take responsibility for their own future -- and work to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

[…] President Obama made a surprise visit to Iraq April 7, where he said that a gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces will help cement security gains as the Iraqi government continues gaining strength. “You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country,” Obama told U.S. troops at Camp Victory outside Baghdad. “It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis.

[…] Under enormous strain and under enormous sacrifice, through controversy and difficulty and politics, you've kept your eyes focused on just doing your job. And because of that, every mission that's been assigned -- from getting rid of Saddam, to reducing violence, to stabilizing the country, to facilitating elections -- you have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country.

[…] The United States is pleased to announce new FY 2009 contributions of more than $141 million to help Iraqis who remain displaced as a result of the war. These contributions come in addition to the $9 million that the United States committed earlier this fiscal year, to total $150 million thus far in FY 2009. These contributions show an ongoing U.S. focus on the needs of this vulnerable population, a focus that continues even as the security conditions inside Iraq improve, making returns of the displaced persons a more viable option in some areas.

[…] Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry as Ambassador to Afghanistan and Christopher R. Hill as Ambassador to Iraq.
The President also announced his intent to nominate Ivo Daalder as United States Permanent Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Ambassador to NATO) and Alexander Vershbow as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.

[…] Iraq’s mostly peaceful provincial elections, held January 31, are an important step forward for the nation and its people, President Obama said. “Millions of Iraqi citizens from every ethnic and religious group went peacefully to the polls across the country to choose new provincial councils,” he said in a statement January 31. Voting was predominantly managed and organized by the Iraqi government and secured by its police and military forces with assistance from the U.N. Assistance Mission to Iraq. “This important step forward should continue the process of Iraqis taking responsibility for their future,” Obama said.

[…] Secretary Gates wishes the Iraqi people well as they go to the polls this weekend for provincial elections, the first of three major votes to take place this year. More than 15 million Iraqis are eligible to vote Saturday. And they will choose from more than 14,000 candidates vying for 440 provincial council seats. Candidates have for the most part run on issues that matter, to the Iraqi people, rather than trying to exploit ethnic or sectarian divisions. There has been some pre-election violence but relatively few instances of voter intimidation.