Obama ends Iraq combat

US: President Barack Obama Tuesday declared an end to US combat in Iraq, saying its people must now take the lead in charting their destiny as Americans turn to rebuilding their own battered nation.

But he called on his country to steel itself for more bloodshed as he doubles down on the war in Afghanistan, billing the fight as "essential" to protecting the US homeland from the festering threat from Al-Qaeda.

Obama's primetime address was meant to mark a symbolic moment in US disengagement from Iraq, but avoided talk of victory or defeat as political uncertainty and violence cloud a nation the United States invaded in 2003.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Obama, who anchored his presidential campaign on opposing the war, spoke of his "awe" at the sacrifices of US troops, and issued a statesmanlike appeal to heal domestic divides opened by the conflict.

"Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended," Obama said, seated in the same spot as former president George W. Bush when he unleashed the US war machine more than seven years ago. "Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country," Obama said in the 18-minute address marking the transition of the US mission in Iraq. Amid political tumult at home, Obama attempted to refocus Americans on the need to repair the ravaged economy, as a slowing recovery sours his popularity and augurs heavy losses for Democrats in November's congressional polls.

He argued that Americans had met their "responsibility" in Iraq and now needed to "turn the page" and "rebuild our nation here at home." "At this moment, as we wind down the war in Iraq, we must tackle those challenges at home with as much energy, and grit and sense of common purpose as our men and women in uniform who have served abroad." Washington, Wednesday, AFP