US President Barack Obama looks on during a meeting with National
Security Advisor James Jones (L), top general in Iraq Ray Odierno (2-L), Charge Des Affairs Patricia Butenis (2-R), and White House Chief of
Staff Rahm Emanuel (R) during a visit to Camp Victory in Iraq on April
7, 2009. US President Barack Obama said on a surprise visit to Iraq
that the next 18 months could be 'critical' and told the war-torn
country that it would soon have to look after itself. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
--Michael Crowley