Biden's Change of Command Ceremony

Vice President Joe Biden has made an unannounced visit to Baghdad to participate in a "Change of Command and Change of Mission Ceremony" and will officially hand responsibility over to the Iraqis, signaling the end of the U.S. military's combat mission in Iraq. Biden, in his sixth trip to Iraq, will meet with Iraqi leaders, including Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The White House released a statement saying: "The United States ends its combat mission in Iraq on August 31, having drawn down to fewer than 50,000 troops from approximately 144,000 troops in January 2009." His visit comes before President Obama's anticipated Tuesday address to the nation about Iraq and Afghanistan.