WASHINGTON —  The White House's director of postwar policy for Iraq is stepping down.

A White House official who asked not to be identified tells The Associated Press that Robert Blackwill decided some time ago to leave government service after the presidential election.

Blackwill has been valuable in helping to set up an interim government in Iraq until elections are held in January.

The White House hasn't said what impact his departure will have on the elections.

Blackwill is the second ranking official who's decided to leave the Bush administration's national security establishment in the past two days.

Yesterday, the State Department confirmed the impending departure of J. Cofer Black, the department's chief counterterrorism figure.