NOVEMBER 2011

Iraq today
U.S. Drops Plans to Keep Troops in Iraq
The U.S. is abandoning plans to keep U.S.
troops in Iraq past a year-end withdrawal
deadline, The Associated Press reports.
The decision to pull out fully by January will effectively
end more than eight years of U.S. involvement
in the Iraq war, despite ongoing concerns
about its security forces and the potential
for instability.
The decision ends months of hand-wringing
by U.S. officials over whether to stick to a Dec.
31 withdrawal deadline that was set in 2008 or
negotiate a new security agreement to ensure
that gains made and more than 4,400 American
military lives lost since March 2003 do not go
to waste.
In recent months, Washington has been discussing
with Iraqi leaders the possibility of several
thousand American troops remaining to
continue training Iraqi security forces.
But a senior Obama administration official in
Washington confirmed on October 15 that all
American troops will leave Iraq except for about
160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S.
Embassy.
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A senior U.S. military official confirmed the
departure and said the withdrawal could allow future
but limited U.S. military training missions in
Iraq if requested.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity
because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Throughout the discussions, Iraqi leaders
have adamantly refused to give U.S. troops immunity
from prosecution in Iraqi courts, and the
Americans have refused to stay without it. Iraq’s
leadership has been split on whether it wanted
American forces to stay. Some argued the further
training and U.S. help was vital, particularly to
protect Iraq’s airspace and gather security intelligence.
But others have deeply opposed any American
troop presence, including Shiite militiamen
who have threatened attacks on any American
forces who remain.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has told U.S.
military officials that he does not have the votes
in parliament to provide immunity to the American
trainers, the U.S. military official said.
A western diplomatic official in Iraq said al-
Maliki told international diplomats he will not
bring the immunity issue to parliament because
lawmakers will not approve it.
Iraqi lawmakers excel at last-minute agreements.
But with little wiggle room on the immunity
issue and the U.S. military needing to move
equipment out as soon as possible, a last-minute
change between now and December 31 seems almost
out of the question.
Regardless of whether U.S. troops are here or
not, there will be a massive American diplomatic
presence.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is the largest in
the world, and the State Department will have
offices in Basra, Irbil and Kirkuk as well as other
locations around the country where contractors
will train Iraqi forces on U.S. military equipment
they’re purchasing.
About 5,000 security contractors and personnel
will be tasked with helping protect American
diplomats and facilities around the country, the
State Department has said.
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48 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2011