Obama lands in Iraq for 1st visit as president

President Barack Obama, making an unannounced visit to Iraq, says it's important for people to know there's still a lot of work to do in the country.

Obama says the U.S. is spending a lot of time trying to improve the situation in Afghanistan. But he says Iraq is important, too.

He met Tuesday with Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, at Camp Victory, which is the largest U.S. military facility in the country.

Several hundred American troops stood at attention as their commander in chief's motorcade rolled by.

Obama says it was "wonderful" to see the troops out there.

The president says he decided to stop in Iraq on his way home to Washington to thank the troops for their extraordinary work.

Terra/AP