Obama asks Pentagon for responsible Iraq drawdown

Source: AP

Obama asks Pentagon for responsible Iraq drawdown
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Digg Facebook Newsvine del.icio.us Reddit StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! Bookmarks Print By ANNE GEARAN and LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writers Anne Gearan And Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Writers – Wed Jan 21, 9:38 pm ET
Featured Topics: Barack Obama Presidential Transition Play Video ABC News – Jake Tapper on Obama's First Day
Slideshow: President Barack Obama Play Video Video: Obama reaches out for Mideast peace effort AP Play Video Video: Obama's move from celebrations to business AP AFP/Getty Images – US President Barack Obama gives his inaugural address during his inauguration as the 44th President of … WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama, in a meeting with his top national security advisers Wednesday, asked the Pentagon to do whatever additional planning is necessary to "execute a responsible military drawdown from Iraq."

Obama's statement, issued by the White House after the gathering, opened his much-anticipated effort to withdraw troops more swiftly than the previous administration had proposed. It made no reference to any timeline or his campaign vow to get combat troops out of Iraq in 16 months.

"The meeting was productive and I very much appreciated receiving assessments from these experienced and dedicated individuals," Obama said. "During the discussion, I asked the military leadership to engage in additional planning necessary to execute a responsible military drawdown from Iraq."

He added that he would soon travel to the Pentagon and meet with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

A senior military official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the schedule is not confirmed, said that meeting with the Joint Chiefs — the president's senior uniformed military advisers — would come within a week.

"We will undertake a full review of the situation in Afghanistan in order to develop a comprehensive policy for the entire region," Obama said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090122/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obam...