Saturday, 4 July 2009
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden talks with soldiers at Camp Victory on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq, 04 Jul 2009U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spent the final day of his trip to Iraqcelebrating the U.S. Independence Day holiday with American troops inBaghdad
The vice president attended a ceremony at one of SaddamHussein's former palaces Saturday for more than 200 soldiers from 59countries who were becoming U.S. citizens.
Biden told the new citizens "you are the reason why America is strong," and thanked them for their service.
TheU.S. vice president had also been scheduled to visit the semiautonomousKurdish region in northern Iraq later Saturday but was forced to cancelthose plans because of a severe sandstorm that blanketed Baghdad.
Thisis the first U.S. Independence Day celebration since the countrywithdrew its troops from Iraqi cities and towns. Biden warned Iraqileaders the United States may not be around to help if Iraq is allowedto revert to sectarian violence.
On Friday,Biden told Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Iraq faces a "hardroad" ahead if it is going to find "lasting peace and security."
TheU.S. vice president also said Mr. Maliki was correct in indicating thatIraq must use the political process to resolve its remainingdifferences.
Biden's visit comes as violence in Iraq reachedits highest levels in about eight months. Hundreds of Iraqi supportersof anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr marched through theBaghdad slum of Sadr City Friday, shouting and burning American flags.
Iraq'sdefense ministry says it already is looking ahead to the next phase ofthe U.S. troop withdrawal, which will see the U.S. remove about 100,000troops from the region. About 130,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq toconduct combat duties outside cities, and to advise Iraqi forces withincities.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
