Biden attempts to provide missing enthusiasm while Obama is out

“Biden: Iraqis Ready to 'Take Charge' as U.S. Forces Withdraw

Published August 23, 2010

Vice President Biden, declaring Monday that Al Qaeda in Iraq and its extremist allies have "utterly failed" to inflame widespread violence, said Iraqis are ready to "take charge" of their country as U.S. combat troops leave. 

Despite concerns about a political impasse in the country, the vice president said he's "confident" the leaders will resolve their differences. In an address marking the final drawdown of U.S. combat troops, he said the U.S. military has made "extraordinary progress" and is taking a "major step" this month. 

To those who warned that the drawdown would open the door for destabilizing violence, Biden said: "They were wrong, because the Iraqis are ready to take charge." 

The vice president used the speech to both address the progress in Iraq while rallying support for the remaining military mission in Afghanistan, where Gen. David Petraeus recently took charge amid a troop buildup. "Don't buy into, 'We have failed in Afghanistan,'" Biden said. "We now are only beginning with the right general and the right number of forces." 

With regard to Iraq, Biden pledged a resolution to the ongoing political dispute over the March 7 elections. He said the political parties of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and former Premier Ayad Allawi must form the "nucleus" of the next government, complete with a formal written agreement on power-sharing. 

"It's time for them to match the courage of their citizens by completing this process," Biden said. "I'm absolutely confident that Iraq will form a  national unity government that will be able to sustain that country."”