Bidens Land in Iraq

Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Baghdad Saturday on an unannounced holiday weekend trip to visit troops and prod Iraqi leaders to get past a political impasse that has prevented the country from forming a government since national elections were held in March. Biden will take stock of conditions there ahead of President Obama’s scheduled end of combat operations August 31, including visits with the leaders of the parties vying for control of Iraq’s parliament. Biden’s wife Jill also made the journey, her first trip to Iraq, and will meet with civilians working at the embassy and Iraqi teachers. The Bidens will also attend a naturalization ceremony for soldiers becoming American citizens. There are 82,000 troops in Iraq now, a number that will drop below 50,000 at next month’s deadline. There were 162,000 troops there at the peak of the surge.