Iraqi mission over, U.S. to address domestic problems - Obama

Obama addressed the nation from the White House's Oval Office on Tuesday, saying it is "time to turn the page."

The Iraqi war was launched in 2003 over the suspicion that the Saddam Hussein regime had weapons of mass destruction. The weapons were never found.

The pledge to end the war helped Obama gain victory in the 2008 presidential election in the United States.

"Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country," Obama said Tuesday.

"We have removed nearly 100,000 U.S. troops from Iraq. We have closed or transferred hundreds of bases to the Iraqis. And we have moved millions of pieces of equipment out of Iraq," he said.

"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.

Up to 50,000 troops are still in Iraq for support and counterterrorism training, and they are to leave the country by late 2011; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.

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