Obama touts withdrawal in Iraq war. Does he sound like Bush?

President Obama shifted his focus from domestic issues to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Monday, marking a month that will see the end of the US combat role in Iraq.

Mr. Obama came into office promising a “responsible end” to the war in Iraq, “and that is exactly what we are doing – as promised and on schedule,” he said in a speech to the Disabled American Veterans in Atlanta.

American troop levels in Iraq will drop from about 80,000 to 50,000 by the end of August in accordance with an agreement between the US and Iraqi governments. The remaining troops will carry out support functions for the Iraqi military and US diplomats. The US has agreed to remove all troops from the country by the end of 2011.

IN PICTURES: Fighting continues in Afghanistan

The drawdown of American forces in Iraq comes more than seven years after the beginning of a war that at its height included hundreds of thousands of soldiers and more than 100 casualties a month.

As Iraq winds down, however, the president spoke of ramping up US forces and the US commitment to Afghanistan, where he said a “deteriorated” situation had revived prospects of the country once again becoming a “safe haven” for Al Qaeda to plan and train for its “murderous acts.” He reminded his audience that it was in Afghanistan where Al Qaeda had hatched the 9/11 attacks.

Obama said that such a regression was something he could not tolerate. But he insisted that the strategy he has adopted for Afghanistan will allow for meeting the goal he has set for beginning to withdraw combat troops there by a year from now.

Obama’s war themes – success in Iraq, progress in Afghanistan, and no safe havens for Al Qaeda – will resurface in the coming weeks as the president tries to establish an image of foreign-policy progress in the run-up to the midterm elections.

The focus on a successful drawdown and transition in Iraq was first tested in May, when Obama gave the commencement speech at West Point military academy.

“This is what success looks like,” the president told the graduating cadets, listing the criteria that he said allowed him to make such a statement: Departing US troops will leave behind a “democratic” and “sovereign” Iraq, but “no haven” for the kind of violent extremists who attacked America on 9/11.

Obama’s positive words about Iraq, both at West Point and Monday in Atlanta, were reminiscent of former President Bush’s talk of “mission accomplished” and implanting “democracy” in Iraq. Republican leaders are already suggesting the “Obama as Bush” response they are preparing for the president as he draws attention to the transition in Iraq.

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