In Iraq, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government has reiterated that it wants US combat forces to complete their withdrawal by the end of 2010. The Iraqi plan is similar to the one advocated by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who met with Iraqi leaders and military commanders on Monday. Obama is traveling around Iraq as part of a congressional delegation that includes Republican Senator Chuck Hagel and Democrat Jack Reed. While political analysts say Iraq’s announcement will help Obama in November, on the streets of Baghdad some Iraqi residents questioned how much US policy toward Iraq would actually change under Obama.

Abu Ali, Iraqi citizen: “The new president who will replace President Bush is not going to change his policy in Iraq. His policy will remain the same regarding the occupation, and Iraq will see no change. I do not think that he is going to change anything, because the US policy is clear to everyone.”