By Julian E. Barnes|January 22, 2009
Reporting from Washington — President Obama will discuss U.S. military involvement in Iraq with his senior national security team this afternoon, a critical first meeting as the new administration reshapes the Pentagon's war strategy.
"Running up to the inauguration, the president made clear this is one of the important items on his agenda," said Bryan Whitman, the Pentagon spokesman. "This is a logical first step for a new president that wants to speak to the people most directly responsibility for managing and executing the wars."
Obama is scheduled to meet with White House National Security Advisor James L. Jones and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates along with Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. David H. Petraeus, the head of U.S. forces in the Middle East. In addition, Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the top commander in Iraq, will participate by video teleconference.
At the meeting, expected to begin around 4 p.m. Eastern time, Obama could order an change in war policy and direct the military to speed up its withdrawals.
But some officials believe it is more likely that the president will ask the Defense Department take some time to draft new plans for his approval. Military officials said that will give them a chance to reconcile commanders' current plans with the wishes of the new president.
During the campaign and after the election, Obama repeated his wish to withdraw all combat forces within 16 months, or by mid-2010. Advisors have said he would be open to leaving a residual force of tens of thousands of noncombat troops to train Iraqis and provide support.
The U.S. has agreed to withdraw its entire military force by the end of 2011 under a security agreement with Iraq. Odierno has developed another plan that would allow the removal of forces before the end of 2011, but has a more cautious timetable than the one outlined by Obama.
Odierno and other commanders want to ensure that they have enough forces to help with Iraqi security for national elections scheduled at the end of the year.
Mideast Peace
On another foreign policy issue, Obama placed calls to several Mideast leaders today to demonstrate his interest in Arab-Israeli peace "from the beginning of his term and to look for ways to strengthen a cease-fire following Israel's three-week offensive in the Gaza Strip, the White House said.
