BAGHDAD - Visiting U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen on Friday urged the Iraqi government to decide in "coming weeks" over the issue of U.S. troops presence after the end of 2011.
According to the security agreement signed in 2008, all U.S. troops will leave Iraq by the end of this year, "there are no plans for any residual U.S. forces presence here after December", the top American military officer told reporters at a news conference.
However, he said the Iraqi government must decide and act very soon if they need the American soldiers to stay after the deadline.
"If Iraq wants to keep some American troops in the country to offset its military vulnerabilities, I'm sure the U.S. government would welcome the discussions, but it needs to start very soon," said Admiral Mullen, adding "very soon" means "the coming weeks".
According to local media reports, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki has affirmed to Mullen in their meeting Thursday that the Iraqi forces are capable of safeguarding security in the war-torn country.
About one week ago, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the United States will consider extending the presence of its troops in Iraq beyond the agreed 2011 final withdrawal deadline on condition of the Iraqi government's request for an extension.
However, Maliki rejected this offer, saying "the Iraqi government is against of any presence of U.S. troops or other foreign troops on the Iraqi territory since they causes internal problems and problems in the region for Iraq."
Later, tens of thousands of Iraqis rallied across the country to demand a full withdrawal of the U.S. forces. Anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr also threatened to resume activities of Mahdi Army militia against the American troops if they stay in the country after the end of 2011. Xinhua
