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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Western Iraq Wednesday, the place where U.S. troops and local tribal leaders began an effort four years ago that helped turn the tide of the Iraq war. Gates stopped in al-Anbar Province on his way to Baghdad to mark the formal end of U.S. combat operations in the country.

The secretary's military 747 jumbo jet touched down at al-Asad Air Base shortly after sunrise - a moment reminiscent of his last visit here, when he came in on a military combat jet and was joined by then-President George W. Bush in his 747, known as Air Force One.

At that time, almost exactly three years ago, Mr. Bush and Gates were marking the Anbar Awakening, the decision by local tribal leaders to reject al-Qaida and join forces with the U.S. Marines, who had been struggling to establish security in the province. Wednesday, he was asked whether, with the new "advise and assist" mission, the United States is still at war in the country.

"No, I would say we're not," he said. "Combat operations have ceased. We're still going to work with the Iraqis on counterterrorism. We are still doing a lot of training and advising and assisting. That's what this brigade is all about. So, I would say we have moved into the final phase of our engagement in Iraq."

Gates says events in Ramadi played a key role in turning around the security situation in Iraq.

"Visiting Ramadi today is especially meaningful for me and my staff," he said. "We have very personal and enduring connections to this city and this province. Many of us, like many of you, were touched first-hand by the terrible violence that not long ago consumed this area."