Biden visits with troops in Iraq

BAGHDAD, July 5 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says the United States' ability to assist Iraq economically likely depends on the degree of political stability that is achieved.

Biden was in Iraq Saturday to oversee the swearing in of 237 U.S. soldiers as American citizens and to visit with troops, including his son, Beau, CNN reported.

Iraqis want to resolve their political issues internally but want economic, educational and scientific assistance, Biden said.

The Iraqis are "painfully aware" of their unresolved issues and the United States' ability to assist on other fronts is "likely to be impacted (by) their ability to get it right on the political side," Biden said.

Biden's visit came days after U.S. combat troops officially withdrew from Iraqi cities, handing over security duties to Iraqi forces.

"We will be on track to remove all U.S. forces from Iraq at the end of 2011," Biden said during the naturalization ceremony of the U.S. service members from Mexico, the Philippines, Haiti and Iraq.

Biden later joked of the significance of holding the ceremony in Al-Faw palace, which once belonged to the late dictator Saddam Hussein.

"That S.O.B. is rolling over in his grave right now," Biden told troops.