Iraq to negotiate continued US troop presence

(AP) — Iraq's political leaders gave the government the green light Tuesday to begin negotiating a deal with the U.S. to keep American troops in the country past the end of the year to train Iraqi security forces.

But Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said a final agreement is still far from settled, and cautioned that Baghdad could still insist the U.S. military leave by the end of 2011 as required under a 2008 security agreement.

"The government still might not do it (allow U.S. troops to stay)," Zebari told The Associated Press after the closed-door discussions.

"This is a politically highly charged issue, and there was division," he said. "But this meeting unified all the political leaders to back the government and start the negotiations."

The small step forward was the result of five hours of often-heated debate among several dozen Iraqi political leaders and Cabinet ministers. Zebari said no details were settled — like how many U.S. troops would stay, or for how long, or whether they would be given legal immunity from prosecution.

Those issues will be key factors as Washington weighs whether it will continue its military presence in Iraq after more than eight years of war.

In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said it would review the Iraqi leaders' decision.
"We are committed to a broad and long-term partnership with the Iraqi people, and will review our security relationship within that context," the statement said.

Iraq's leaders are torn between the nation's shaky security and its war-weary public in deciding whether U.S. forces should leave by Dec. 31. The issue has also put Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in an uncomfortable position with one of his top allies, anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who is bent on driving American forces from the country.

Washington has offered to have up to 10,000 U.S. troops stay and continue training Iraqi forces on tanks, fighter jets and other military equipment.

Al-Maliki, who likely will lead the negotiations, has proposed that parliament ultimately could vote on the troop dilemma. That would shield him from political fallout should lawmakers approve asking the U.S. military to stay, although American officials fear there's not enough support in parliament for such a motion to pass.
Earlier Tuesday, U.S. Joint Chiefs chairman Adm. Mike Mullen left Iraq after a brief visit during which he urged the government to quickly request the troops to stay — or face their imminent departure.

"A significant part of this is just a physics problem," Mullen, the outgoing top U.S. military officer, told reporters in Baghdad Tuesday morning. "You get to a point in time where you just can't turn back and all the troops must leave. That's why it's so important to make the decision absolutely as soon as possible."

Mullen also said the troops must be given immunity as part of any agreement, and that it must be approved by Iraq's parliament.

About 46,000 American troops are currently in Iraq.

Iraqi Forces are Aware of The Attack

BAGHDAD- Improved security in Baghdad and a lull in assassinations in the last three weeks may merely signal that armed groups are preparing a major attack in the Iraqi capital, a senior official said.

Violence has dropped sharply overall since the height of Iraq's sectarian conflict in 2006-2007, but both Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim groups remain responsible for killings, bombings and attacks that usually happen almost daily.

May was the most violent month in Baghdad this year with 72 attempted assassinations -- of which 28 were fatal -- mostly targeting police, army and officials. "The rate of assassinations dropped to its lowest and the rate of attacks using improvised explosive devices dropped a lot and car bombs almost disappeared," Major General Hassan al-Baidhani, chief of staff for the Baghdad operations command, told Reuters in an interview this week.



"Such indications reflect the enemy plans to carry out a major operation, a large scale operation," Baidhani said.

Iraqi forces are taking over full responsibility for security as remaining U.S. troops prepare to withdraw from the country at the end of 2011, more than eight years after the invasion that toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein.

Baidhani said Iraqi security forces have carried out operations targeting Baghdad murder squads, arresting mostly members tied to al Qaeda-affiliated organizations. But surviving members and their rivals remain a threat.

Iraqi officials acknowledge local armed forces face some gaps in their capabilities as they tackle an al Qaeda-linked Sunni Islamist insurgency and Shi'ite militias which Washington says are backed by neighboring Iran.

Iraqi has many illegal armed groups, from the al Qaeda-linked Sunni Islamic State of Iraq or ISI, others tied to Saddam's outlawed Baath party and dozens of splinter organizations formed around the Shi'ite Mehdi Army militia.

Until this month's drop in killings, a spree of attacks targeting senior police and army officers in Baghdad was carried out by Shi'ite militias concerned about a resurgence of the Baath party when U.S. troops leave, security officials told Reuters.

While Iraqi and U.S. forces have made progress, militants have stepped up attacks on soldiers and police this year as they try to destabilize the government while U.S. troops pack up.

U.S. officials have blamed Iranian-backed militants for a rise in attacks on their troops.

Baidhani said he believed organizations affiliated to al Qaeda remain the most likely and capable of carrying out attacks after 2011, while former Baath party organizations are confined to certain areas in the capital which can be controlled.

"Defunct Baath organizations are a mixture of al Qaeda and other groups," Baidhani said. "The Americans are now a burden on Iraqi units. (Writing by Suadad al-Salhy, Editing by Patrick Markey and David Stamp)