Iraqi prime minister: U.S. troop departure by end of 2011 'sealed'

The Iraqi prime minister says U.S. troops must leave that country, as planned, by the end of next year.

"The last American soldier will leave Iraq" as agreed, Nouri al-Maliki said in an extensive interview with The Wall Street Journal. "This agreement is not subject to extension, not subject to alteration. It is sealed."

He said Iraqi forces — and the newly seated government — are prepared to handle the country's own security.

The Obama administration has drawn down, by some tens of thousands of troops, the U.S. presence in Iraq, and on Aug. 31 declared the end of what it called "combat operations." But some 50,000 or more American troops remain in Iraq in an advisory capacity, including to train Iraqi forces and offer other assistance.

The Status of Forces Agreement negotiated between the U.S. and Iraq states that the remaining U.S. forces must be gone from the country by the end of 2011. But while there has been some speculation that the troop presence would be extended, al-Maliki seemed to close the door on that possibility.

From the WSJ interview:

Mr. Maliki played down Iraq's need for any major help from the U.S. military, even while acknowledging serious deficiencies in areas including control of airspace and borders. He said the days when ethnic or sectarian-based militias roamed the streets of Iraq and operated above the law were over.

"Not a single militia or gang can confront Iraqi forces and take over a street or a house," said Mr. Maliki. "This is finished; we are comfortable about that."

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