As the last U.S. troops prepare to leave Iraq nearly nine years after American forces entered that nation, President Obama is meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

"A war is ending, a new day is upon us," President Obama said this afternoon at a joint news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at which the two leaders are marking the departure of the last U.S. troops after nearly nine years in Iraq.

For his part, Maliki said the two nations' relations "will not end with the departure of the last American soldier ... it has only started."

Obama also said the sacrifices of so many should not be forgotten, including "the untold Iraqis who gave their lives ... nearly 4,500 fallen Americans who gave their last full measure of devotion" and "tens of thousands" of Americans who were injured.

We'll update this post with more from the news conference as it continues, so be sure to hit your "refresh" button.

Update at 12:45 p.m. ET. On Syria And Iraq's Independence:

Asked if he worries that Maliki is being influenced by Iran or other nations, Obama says he is confident that the Iraqi leader is making decisions based on what he thinks are the best interests of Iraq — not because of any outside influence.

That includes Iraq's position on Syria. Maliki says that while he is concerned about the right of Syrian people to express themselves peacefully, he believes he does not have the right to ask another nation's leader — in this case Syrian President Bashar Assad — to step down. [Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]