BOSTON - Mitt Romney will suspend his presidential campaign, NBC News has learned.

His withdrawal effectively cedes the Republican nomination to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

In a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington Thursday, Romney talked of Democratic Candidates Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama retreating in Iraq and declaring defeat.

He then told the crowd he disagrees with McCain on a number of issues, but that he'd given the mater a lot of thougth and if he fought on all the way to the Republican convention, " I forestall the launch of a national campaign and frankly I'd be makign it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win. Frankly, in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

Romney added, "If this were only about me, I can go on. But its never been only about me. I entered this race... because I love America, and because I love America, in thsi time of war, i feel I now have to stand aside, for our party and for our country."

The former Massachusetts Republican governor has been seriously trailing McCain in the delegate count since Super Tuesday.

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., remains in the race but trails Romney in the delegate counts.

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