Obama to meet with leaders of Afghanistan, Iraq

President Obama has big meetings in the coming weeks on the status of the two wars he inherited — Afghanistan and Iraq.

The president meets Tuesday at the White House with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to discuss the pace of withdrawal of U.S. troops from that country, among other issues.

"This marks the first meeting between the two presidents at the White House following the 2014 presidential election, which produced the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan's history," the White House said in announcing the visit last month.

Ghani, who began his visit to Washington on Monday, is speaking with other high-ranking U.S. officials this week, including Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Secretary of State John Kerry.

The White House also announced Monday that Obama will meet April 14 at the White House with Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

A major topic: U.S.-led efforts to defeat the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq (ISIL).

The American and Iraq leaders "will discuss a range of issues, including continued U.S. support to Iraq to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL, the government of Iraq's actions to address the needs of the Iraqi people and to strengthen cooperation between all communities in Iraq," the White House said.