(31 Aug 2010) HEADLINE: Obama: 'Combat mission in Iraq has ended'
NB. THIS IS A VOICEOVER TRANSCRIPT, NOT A FULL SHOTLIST
CAPTION: Opposed to the war from the start, President Barack Obama on Tuesday formally ended the U.S. combat role in Iraq as promised, declaring: "It is time to turn the page." He said the nation's most urgent priority must be fixing its own economy. (Aug. 31)
So tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country.
This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office. Last February, I announced a plan that would bring our combat brigades out of Iraq, while redoubling our efforts to strengthen Iraq's Security Forces and support its government and people. That is what we have done. We have removed nearly 100,000 U.S. troops from Iraq. We have closed or transferred hundreds of bases to the Iraqis. And we have moved millions of pieces of equipment out of Iraq.
This completes a transition to Iraqi responsibility for their own security.
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