Marines hand over control of Anbar province to Army

RAMADI, Iraq — The U.S. Marines marked the end of nearly seven years in Iraq on Saturday by handing the Army their command of Anbar province, once one of the war's fiercest battlefields but now a centerpiece of U.S.-Iraqi cooperation.

The changing of the guard — overseen by military brass and some of Anbar's influential Sunni sheiks — signals the start of an accelerated drawdown of American troops as the U.S. increasingly shifts its focus to the war in Afghanistan.

U.S. commanders are trumpeting security gains in places such as the western Anbar province as a sign that their partnership with Iraqi security forces is working, and that the local troops can keep the country safe.

But fears are growing about a possible resurgence in sectarian tensions, fed by the Shiite-dominated government's plans to blacklist more than 500 parliamentary candidates over suspected links to Saddam Hussein's government.

In Baghdad, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden met with Iraq's leaders Saturday to try to alleviate the pressures. While he kept expectations of a breakthrough low — saying after a meeting with President Jalal Talabani it was up to the Iraqis, not him, to resolve the issue — his visit alone illustrated the U.S. government's concern.

Obama administration officials worry the bans could raise questions over the fairness of the March 7 parliamentary election, which is seen as an important step in the U.S. pullout timetable and a way to break political stalemates over key issues such as dividing Iraq's oil revenue.

"I am confident that Iraq's leaders are seized with this problem and are working to find a just solution," Biden said.

The Marines formally handed over U.S. responsibility for Sunni-dominated Anbar, Iraq's largest province, to the Army during a ceremony at a base in Ramadi, the scene of some of the war's most intense fighting. Overall control of the province shifted from the U.S. military to Iraq in September 2008, but the U.S. continues to provide support for Iraqi forces.

Iraqi and American color guards stood together at attention as both countries' national anthems were played.

Up to 25,000 Marines were in Iraq at the peak of the fighting, mostly in Anbar province. Fewer than 3,000 remain. All but a handful of those will ship out in a matter of weeks.

Sharing the front row at the handover ceremony with U.S. Army and Marine generals were some of Anbar's influential tribal sheiks in traditional checkered headdresses and gold-embroidered robes.

Their decision to shift support to the Americans is credited with sapping the Sunni insurgency — including al-Qaida in Iraq — of much of its strength in areas near Baghdad.

If all goes as planned, the last remaining Marines will be followed out by tens of thousands of soldiers in coming months. President Obama has ordered all but 50,000 troops out of the country by Aug. 31, with most to depart after the parliamentary election in March.

The remaining troops will leave by the end of 2011 under a U.S.-Iraqi security pact.

The changeover at Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad, leaves the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division with responsibility over Baghdad and Anbar, the vast desert province that stretches from western Baghdad to the borders of Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.