by Xinhua writers Fu Yiming and Gao Shan

    BAGHDAD, June 30 (Xinhua) -- What are added to Baghdad's usually tensional streets -- featured by countless checkpoints, blast walls and steel wire that fend off suicide and car bombs -- are more fully armed soldiers compounded with both U.S. and Iraqi armed vehicles.

Iraqi policemen celebrate as they mark the U.S. withdrawal from Iraqi cities, in Ramadi, 100 km (60 miles) west of Baghdad June 29, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Dusty air that coincides with the shadow of terror by a series of deadly blasts that claimed more than 200 lives in the past few days still lingers.

    People are told not to take to places of crowds, for fear of being the next victims. That's why people in uniforms -- U.S. and Iraqi soldiers and police -- are largely the only visible here and there.

    Fully armed Ahmad Sobhi fastened his helmet and windshield glasses while manning a machine gun on top of his pickup and scanning the dusty street.

    For him, today is meaningful -- the last day he might cooperate with U.S. soldiers, after which he will patrol in Baghdad streets with his Iraqi fellows only.

    Thinking for guarding his own country and serve for his compatriots without the assistance of U.S. counterparts, Sobhi seemingly felt the weight of responsibility assigned upon him.

    Another Iraqi soldier came by and said with a perceivable sign of complexity to Xinhua correspondent that U.S. soldiers will leave soon and they shall no longer see them in cities.

U.S. General Daniel Bolger (1st L), commander of US forces in Baghdad, hands over a symbolic key to General Abud Qambar, commander of Baghdad Operation Command, during a hand-over ceremony in Baghdad, capital of Iraq, June 29, 2009. June 30 is the deadline for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from major cities in Iraq. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    June 30 is the deadline for U.S. combat troops to leave Iraqi towns and cities, while August 2010 for all combat troops out from Iraq and no later than 2011 for all U.S. soldiers, as stipulated in the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) sighed at the end of last year between Washington and Baghdad.

    Despite the going of U.S. soldiers, a series of deadly blasts across Iraq that have claimed more than 200 lives do not seem to shake Iraqi security forces' confidence.

    Ali Ghedan, the infantry forces leader in Baghdad, told Xinhua that his forces spread from north to south, east to west, and in every spot across the country.

    "We are able to conduct maneuvers from place to place, and we can reach any place terrorists might reach," he said.

    Saleem Jubuli, a Sunni parliament member, cautioned the situation during his country's historical military handover, saying that he personally believed security situation would be affected, but temporarily.

    "Hopefully, we will have a stable future," he said.

    "Frankly, security situation will be covered by the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, the National Security Forces, and supported by all security systems in Iraq, in order to keep all stabilities in Iraq, especially in Baghdad," Fawzi Akram, a Shiite parliament member told Xinhua.

Iraqis celebrate the withdrawal of the U.S. combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns in Baghdad, capital of Iraq, June 29, 2009. As part of a security pact signed between Baghdad and Washington last year, the U.S. troops would withdraw from Iraqi cities, towns and villages by June 30, 2009 to their bases, and would leave the country on Dec. 31, 2011. (Xinhua/Gao Shan) Photo Gallery>>>

    His optimism coincides with Farzam Ahamad, a Kurdish parliament member, who said that "I am optimistic, because Iraqi security forces have reached a level that is able to control securities in Iraqi cities."

    The mission of the remaining U.S. troops outside Iraqi towns and cities is shifting from combat to training and advising. They could, at Iraq's request, reenter cities for help in missions.

    "Supports we need from Coalition Forces after the transfer are limited. We might need intelligence support, although our units do have some information about terrorists' movement, but we might still need such support from Coalition Forces due to their advanced technologies," said Ghedan.

    When asked whether they will request U.S. soldiers to come back into cities to conduct missions, Sobhi responded instantly, "we hope we will never raise such a request."

Iraqi leaders call for national unity after U.S. forces pullout

    BAGHDAD, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi top leaders call for national unity, and reconciliation Tuesday as U.S. combat forces withdrew from Iraqi cities and towns to meet June 30 deadline.

    Iraqi president Jalal Talabani appealed to Iraqis to create a positive climate to build a democratic Iraq.  Full story

U.S. pullout of Iraqi cities a "milestone": Obama

    WASHINGTON, June 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday described the completion of withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraqi cities as an "important milestone."

    In brief remarks made at a White House event, he said the drawback meant that Iraq's future is now in the hands of its leaders and people.

    "The Iraqis are rightly treating this day as a cause for celebration," Obama said.   Full story

Special Report: Tension escalates in Iraq