The Obama administration is knocking down a report that all but a small security force will be pulled from Iraq by the end of the year, saying instead that discussions are still ongoing.
The Associated Press reported Saturday afternoon that just 160 troops attached to the U.S. Embassy will stay in Iraq into 2012, citing a senior administration official and a senior military official who were granted anonymity. But two administration officials said on the record that no decision has been made about whether a few thousand Americans will stay in the country into next year to help train Iraqi security forces.
Continue ReadingDefense Department press secretary George Little said in a statement that ?suggestions that a final decision has been reached about our training relationship with the Iraqi government are wrong? and ?discussions are ongoing.?
Close to 40,000 Americans are set to leave the country in the next two and a half months as the U.S. wraps up its combat efforts.
The AP?s report comes after Iraqi political leaders announced last week that they would not grant immunity under Iraqi law for U.S. troops remaining into next year. U.S. troops have long had immunity from Iraqi law and the Obama administration demanded that it continue for forces to stay in the country, but Iraqi leaders have been divided on the subject. At issue is whether U.S. troops who kill or injure Iraqis could be forced to stand trial in an Iraqi court.
?President Obama has repeatedly made it clear that we are committed to keeping our agreement with the Iraqi government to remove all of our troops by the end of this year,? National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement to POLITICO.
The Defense Department has considered having as many as 5,000 troops stay in the country to lead training for Iraqi security forces, but Iraqi political leaders? division on immunity and whether they really want Americans to stay have been obstacles to an agreement.
Though troops will mostly leave the country, Vietor said that the administration is ?building a comprehensive partnership with Iraq under the Strategic Framework Agreement including a robust security relationship, and discussions with the Iraqis about the nature of that relationship are ongoing.?
A senior military official told the AP that though nearly all American forces will withdraw from Iraq, some could still return for limited training missions if requested by the Iraqi government.
Josh Gerstein contributed to this report.
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