U.S. President Barack Obama will hold talks Monday at the White House with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, with the two leaders discussing the future of Iraq as U.S. forces complete their withdrawal from the country by the end of the month. White House officials say the meeting will cover efforts to "start a new chapter" in their strategic partnership, and will also include issues such as energy and education.
Mr. Obama and Mr. Maliki will hold a joint news conference after their meeting. They are scheduled to visit nearby Arlington National Cemetery, where some of the nearly 4,500 U.S. service members killed in Iraq since the war began in 2003 are buried. Mr. Maliki arrived in Washington Sunday, in time for dinner with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He also is expected to hold talks with Vice President Joe Biden during his two-day visit.