During his remarks, Obama also discussed the recent withdrawal of tens of thousands of U.S. troops from Iraq.

President Obama: “And meanwhile, we’ve made progress on one of our core commitments: our effort to end the war in Iraq. Nearly 100,000 American troops have now left Iraq under my presidency. Iraqis have taken full responsibility for their security. And we will continue to support Iraq as it forms an inclusive government, and we will bring all of our troops home.”

As Obama spoke of pulling out of Iraq, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said the U.S. could in fact keep its troops there beyond a 2011 deadline for withdrawal. Gates made the comments during a visit to Malaysia.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates: “We are open to discussing it. And I think it really depends, as much as anything, on — in terms on timing, it’s really up to the Iraqis. I think it will take them a little time, once they get a government, once they select a president, prime minister and a speaker of the Council of Representatives, to make the ministerial appointments and form the government. So, we will just — we’ll stand by, and we’re ready to have that discussion, if and when they want to raise it to us.”