ktlight
8th July 2011, 06:22
FYI:
Top US military officer says Washington and Baghdad are holding negotiations on a possible extension of American troops' presence in Iraq beyond the 2011 deadline.
"The negotiations are ongoing and it's hard," Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, was quoted by AFP as telling reporters at a Pentagon Press Association event on Thursday.
He added that the size of a possible US military mission and the shortcomings of Iraqi forces are among the issues addressed by the ongoing talks.
"There are very clear capability gaps the Iraqis are going to have," Mullen stated, pointing to aerial combat power, air defense capabilities, and the ability to make use of intelligence.
Mullen's comments come as the White House has once again expressed desire, in the face of firm opposition by Iraqi lawmakers, to maintain thousands of troops in the war-weary country.
Washington has reportedly offered Baghdad to keep up to 10,000 of US forces in Iraq for at least another year. On Tuesday, Iraqi parliamentarians petitioned the government against extending the US military presence in the country.
The appeal, signed by 100 lawmakers, warns Baghdad against the dire consequences of the continued deployment of American troops beyond the December 31, 2011 deadline stipulated in the US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement.
Mullen's remarks are the first high-profile corroboration by the US military of the talks being held between the two sides on the controversial subject.
The US invaded Iraq in 2003 under the pretext of destroying alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD) belonging to the executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's regime.
However, it was later found that the country did not possess any WMDs at the time and that the US and Britain, which led the invasion, were well-aware about the non-existence of such weapons in Iraq.
Over one million Iraqis have been killed as a result of the occupation, according to a study by the credible British polling group, Opinion Research Business.
source
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/188100.html
Top US military officer says Washington and Baghdad are holding negotiations on a possible extension of American troops' presence in Iraq beyond the 2011 deadline.
"The negotiations are ongoing and it's hard," Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, was quoted by AFP as telling reporters at a Pentagon Press Association event on Thursday.
He added that the size of a possible US military mission and the shortcomings of Iraqi forces are among the issues addressed by the ongoing talks.
"There are very clear capability gaps the Iraqis are going to have," Mullen stated, pointing to aerial combat power, air defense capabilities, and the ability to make use of intelligence.
Mullen's comments come as the White House has once again expressed desire, in the face of firm opposition by Iraqi lawmakers, to maintain thousands of troops in the war-weary country.
Washington has reportedly offered Baghdad to keep up to 10,000 of US forces in Iraq for at least another year. On Tuesday, Iraqi parliamentarians petitioned the government against extending the US military presence in the country.
The appeal, signed by 100 lawmakers, warns Baghdad against the dire consequences of the continued deployment of American troops beyond the December 31, 2011 deadline stipulated in the US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement.
Mullen's remarks are the first high-profile corroboration by the US military of the talks being held between the two sides on the controversial subject.
The US invaded Iraq in 2003 under the pretext of destroying alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD) belonging to the executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's regime.
However, it was later found that the country did not possess any WMDs at the time and that the US and Britain, which led the invasion, were well-aware about the non-existence of such weapons in Iraq.
Over one million Iraqis have been killed as a result of the occupation, according to a study by the credible British polling group, Opinion Research Business.
source
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/188100.html