President Obama declared "combat missions in Iraq" over from the Oval Office Tuesday evening.
"From this desk, seven and a half years ago, pres bush announced the beginning of military opperations in Irag. Much has changed since that night. A war to disarm a state became a fight against an insurgency," Obama said.
The president mentioned that he had spoken with President George W. Bush about the future of Iraq.
"It's well known that he and I disagreed about the war from its outset. Yet no one could doubt President Bush's support for our troops, or his love of country and commitment to our security. As I have said, there were patriots who supported this war, and patriots who opposed it. And all of us are united in appreciation for our servicemen and women, and our hope for Iraq's future," he said.
Republican and House Minority leader John Boehner of Ohio also made remarks about the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"Some leaders who opposed, criticized, and fought tooth-and-nail to stop the surge strategy now proudly claim credit for the results," he said, referring to then Senator Obama who opposed the surge which proved successful in fighting Iraqi insurgents.
Obama promised to continue the fight against al-Qaeda, and remarked on the future of operations in Afghanistan.
Beginning in July, "we will begin a transition to Afghan responsibility. The pace of our troop reductions will be determined by conditions on the ground, and our support for Afghanistan will endure. But make no mistake: this transition will begin -- because open-ended war serves neither our interests nor the Afghan people's," he said.
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