Obama campaign: Ending Iraq war ‘a promise kept’

President Obama’s campaign released a Web video Thursday night calling the end of the Iraq war “a promise kept” by the president.

The U.S. declared the end of the Iraq war Thursday in a Baghdad ceremony with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, one day after Obama marked the end of the war with a speech to troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

The video promotes a series of statements by the president, beginning with his opposition to the war in 2004 through his declaration Wednesday that the war was over.

“The war in Iraq will soon belong to history,” Obama said Wednesday. “I’m proud to finally say these two words ... welcome home.”

Republican presidential candidates have attacked Obama for pulling all U.S. troops out of Iraq, which occurred after talks with Iraqi leaders to keep some U.S. military presence in the country broke down. The GOP has called the withdrawal politically motivated, warning about Iran gaining influence in Iraq once the U.S. departs.

But ending the Iraq war remains popular in polls, and this week’s video signals it will be part of Obama’s reelection strategy. His foreign policy record also includes the killing of Osama bin Laden.

The video shows Obama as a presidential candidate in March 2008, declaring his intent to end the war.

“When I’m commander in chief, I will set a new goal on day one,” Obama said. “I will end this war.”