White House Pressuring Iraq To Keep 10,000 Troops After This Year

U.S. soldiers look over their CH-47 Chinook before an aircraft turnover mission on Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Dec. 1, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joshua Murray

U.S. Willing To Leave 10,000 Troops In Iraq Past Year's End, Officials Say -- L.A. Times

Keeping U.S. troops in Iraq after the departure deadline would require accord of Iraq's deeply divided government. The Iraqis have not made a formal request for U.S. troops to stay.

The White House is prepared to keep as many as 10,000 U.S. troops in Iraq after the end of the year, amid growing concern that the planned pullout of virtually all remaining American forces would lead to intensified militant attacks, according to U.S. officials.

Keeping troops in Iraq after the deadline for their departure at the end of December would require agreement of Iraq's deeply divided government, which is far from certain. The Iraqis so far have not made a formal request for U.S. troops to remain, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

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Update: US 'offering' to keep troops in Iraq? More like begging for permission to stay. -- Christian Science Monitor

My Comment: This is a major change in policy.