U.S. Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Iraq on Thursday to visit U.S. soldiers, just two days after all American combat troops withdrew from Baghdad and all of Iraq’s cities and towns.

During his visit, Biden will meet with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

A White House statement said Biden will reiterate the U.S. commitment to carry out President Barack Obama’s plan to withdraw combat forces. He also will press Iraqi leaders to make more progress toward political reconciliation. It was his first trip to Iraq as vice president.

Al-Maliki named the day U.S. combat troops withdrew, June 30, as “National Sovereignty Day” and declared it a public holiday.

On that same day, the White House said that Biden will oversee the administration’s Iraq policy and work with its government to overcoming their political differences and achieve reconciliation.

In Washington, President Barack Obama said that he has always reserved the right to adjust the U.S. troop withdrawal timetable in Iraq based on changing circumstances. But he said he was confident the U.S. will be able to abide by agreements it made with Iraqis.

In a White House interview with The Associated Press, Obama also said he believes Iraqis do not want to return to spiraling violence of past years but added that he has not seen sufficient reconciliation among Iraq’s political factions.

He also praised U.S. commanders for handing over security to Iraqis in cities and urban areas this week.

Biden arrived as violence flared for another day in the Iraqi capital, with bombings killing at least three people in the Baghdad area in the first significant violence since Iraqi forces assumed responsibility for securing cities after the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from urban areas earlier this week.