President Barack Obama met today with his national security team to discuss the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq.

Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were two members of the high profile meeting.

Plans to reduce the number of American troops in Iraq to 50,000 by the end of this month are on schedule, Mr. Obama said last week.

At that point, the U.S. military mission will shift to training and supporting Iraqi security forces.

Iraqi politicians have not been able to form a government more than five months after the country's inconclusive national elections.

There are concerns that insurgents will take advantage of the political vacuum to try and re-ignite sectarian bloodshed.