'The American Combat Mission in Iraq Has Ended'

President Obama praised President Bush's commitment to U.S. troops Tuesday as he announced a close to combat operations in Iraq that Obama said cost America a "huge price."

In only his second Oval Office speech, Obama cast the end of combat operations as an opportunity for America to "turn the page," both on American involvement in Iraq and American priorities at home, where the economy is still struggling to regain it's footing.

But Obama didn't credit Bush for initiating the troop surge that saved a flagging war effort in Iraq, but he called Bush a "patriot" who was committed to U.S. security.

"It's well known that he and I disagreed about the war from its outset," he said. "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."

Obama who swept into office partly on his pledge to end the war in Iraq, said that after seven years of huge sacrifices, it is time for the U.S. to move on.

"Through this remarkable chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq, we have met our responsibility," he said. "Now, it is time to turn the page."

Obama said now the "most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work."

"We must jumpstart industries that create jobs, and end our dependence on foreign oil," he said. "This will be difficult. But in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my central responsibility as president."

Obama is keeping up to 50,000 troops in Iraq for support and counterterrorism training, and the final forces will not be out until late next year. But he sought to mark Aug. 31, 2010, as a milestone in one of the defining chapters in recent American history.

"Ending this war is not only in Iraq's interest, it is in our own," Obama said. "The United States has paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people."

In fact, Iraq is in political turmoil, its leaders unable to form a new government long after March elections that left no clear winner. In Baghdad on Tuesday, Vice President Biden pressed Iraqi leaders anew to break the impasse. The uncertainty has left an opening for insurgents to pound Iraqi security forces, hardly the conditions the United States envisioned for this transition deadline, which Obama announced 18 months ago.

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