All American
forces are scheduled to leave Iraq
by the end of this year, in line with a 2008 security deal agreed to by
Baghdad and Washington. But privately many Iraqi and American officials say
Iraq's nascent military will still need American military assistance.
Zebari and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appear to be preparing the public
for some type of American military presence in Iraq past 2011, but have been
trying to paint it as a training force as opposed to combat units.
"Is there a security need for Iraq for trainers, for experts? The answer
is yes," Zebari told reporters in Baghdad. "I believe that things
are heading to an agreement on having trainers and experts not military
forces with combat troops."
Zebari provided no details, saying no agreement has been reached and Iraq has
not asked for any American forces to stay. In a follow-up interview with The
Associated Press, he said the trainers would be active-duty military
personnel, as opposed to private contractors, but would not specify how many.
If no new agreement is reached, after Dec. 31 fewer than 200 active duty
troops are expected to stay at the US Embassy in Baghdad as military
advisers and to facilitate foreign military sales. That is a common role for
American diplomatic missions worldwide.
But the US has offered to keep as many as 10,000 U.S. troops in Iraq to help
train the country's security forces, and many Iraqi officials privately have
indicated they would like a more robust American military presence. However,
such a large presence is politically very difficult to sell to an Iraqi
public already tired of eight years of war.
The prime minister's own allies in the government, the ones most-credited with
helping him win re-election last year, are followers of anti-American cleric
Muqtada al-Sadr. He has made ridding Iraq of any American military presence
a cornerstone of his rhetoric, and his forces have repeatedly attacked
American bases and convoys in recent months.
With about 46,000 American forces still in Iraq, U.S. officials have been
pushing Baghdad for an answer soon on a future troop presence so the US
military can determine how to move forward with the withdrawal and what
would be required of the troops that might remain.
Adml. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said discussions
with the Iraqis involve both the number of US troops that would stay, as
well as the capabilities they believe they need covered.
Another sticking point is whether the remaining American troops would have
legal immunity.
