After Iraq poll:
Obama keeps troop withdrawal plan
US: President Barack Obama called Iraq’s election an “important
milestone” on Sunday despite deadly violence, praising Iraqi security
forces and repeating his end-2011 goal for removing all US troops from
the country.
Scores of mortar rounds, rockets and roadside bombs exploded near
polling stations across Iraq, killing 38 people, in an apparent effort
to scare voters participating in the election for Iraq’s second
full-term parliament since the 2003 US invasion.
Obama praised millions of Iraqis for turning out to vote despite the
attacks.
“As expected, there were some incidents of violence as al Qaeda in
Iraq and other extremists tried to disrupt Iraq’s progress by murdering
innocent Iraqis who were exercising their democratic rights,” Obama told
reporters at the White House.
“But overall the level of security and the prevention of
destabilizing attacks speaks to the growing capability and
professionalism of Iraqi security forces, which took the lead in
providing protection at the polls,” he said.
Washington, Monday, Reuters |