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Sacrifices that the general has made in the mission. as we transition from combat operations to stability operations, we come with a new change of command. they will take this mission through in accordance with the security agreement until the mission ends. this is a fitting way for the general to leave here having conducted operations at three different levels here, division, core and theater command. >> you've described what's happening next as combat troops doing noncombat operations. exactly what does that mean? >> it's really about a change of mission. it's a change of mission from combat...

North and this issue you have in the southeast, involving iran, is still out there. >> absolutely, bill. this is -- and my concern is when you say it's over but you don't put up a mission accomplished sign is that america's attention, albeit fleeting anyway, is going to be increasingly diverted to something else. look, this is still very, very personal. we're going to be there for quite some time. i would not hazard a guess. but i think our experience, both in europe and in the far east and korea, we should take a hard look at. we know how to do coalition warfare, we know how to do stability o...

She joins us live from baghdad. >> a seven year combat mission in iraq officially ends this week and after that the u.s. military says it is an advise, assist and stability operations. the u.s. soldiers taking on new roles and the iraqi security forces trying to shoulder more of the responsibility. the sniper brigade are trained artillery guys but they are spending most of this deployment as escorts for the united nations. >> we do orphanages, prisons, factories, food manufacturing plants. >> today's task driving through baghdad during reconnaissance for future trips. >> we go out and we are i...

Mission. >> eric: we have the deadline coming up next month. the administration says it will end combat operations, next month. in august, and get to stability operations, what does that mean by ending combat operations, and is it just a guise and what if indeed 50,000 american troops remain there? >> well, we are down to 80,000 now that and e goal next month is 50,000 that and theory is that all combat operations by that point will be carried out by iraqi troops with the 50,000 remaining americans basically just doing training. i think that is -- >> eric: is that realistic. >> i don't think s...

Viewers that all combat troops are supposed to be out by the end of august and all troops out by the end of 2010. the administration saying they are sticking to the timelines. do the leaders of iraq believe that timeline is realistic? >> reporter: well, t.j., what we know dpr from senior administration officials, the americans are going to stick to that drawdown. already, only about 77,000 troops in iraq. that number will go down to 50,000 by the end of august. the end of august is also going to signify a change in how the u.s. military operates here. it will signify an end to p o per iraqi fr...