Maliki presses Obama on weapons deliveries, hints at extended U.S. presence
Monday, July 27, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
WASHINGTON — Iraq has been mulling the prospect of extending the U.S. military presence.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki said he envisioned a scenario in which the U.S. military would be asked to remain in his country beyond the withdrawal deadline in late 2011. Al Maliki, who met President Barack Obama and senior administration officials, said such a request would depend on the state of readiness of Iraq's security forces.
"Pursuant to the agreement, in 2011, the military presence of the Americans will take end in Iraq," Maliki said in an address to the U.S. Institute for Peace. "Nevertheless, if the Iraqi forces required further training and further support, we shall examine this then at that time based on the needs of Iraq."
"And I am sure that the prospects and the will, desire, the prospects and the desire of such cooperation is found among both parties," Al Maliki added. "Nevertheless, the nature of that relationship as well as the functions and the amount of forces will be then discussed and re-examined again based on the needs."
Officials said Al Maliki, during his visit to Washington in late July, pressed Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to accelerate training and weapons deliveries as the U.S. military reduces its presence in Iraq. They said Al Maliki complained that the lion's share of weapons ordered from the United States over the last two years has not arrived.
"They have many needs and they are not afraid to articulate them," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said on July 23 after the Gates-Al Maliki meeting.
Officials said Al Maliki has sought U.S. help to rebuild Iraq's air force. They said the prime minister reiterated Iraq's request for the U.S.-origin F-16 multi-role fighter, manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
In 2008, Iraq submitted a request on the price and availability of 36 F-16s. The Pentagon, which said it conducted such an examination, has not released its reply.
Over the last six months, the United States has reduced its military presence from 145,000 to 130,000 troops in Iraq. Obama has pledged to withdraw all combat troops from Iraq by August 2010.
The United States has reported progress in its program to ensure Iraqi security force independence. The U.S. military has determined that the Iraqi national police in the Wasit province was capable of training without help from the U.S.-led coalition.
Wasit was said to have the first mobile training team, consisting of seven instructors and three officers and organized by the 772nd Military Police Company of the U.S. National Guard. Officials said the mobile team, meant to avoid transferring officers to distant police academies, would serve police stations throughout Wasit, located along the border with Iran.
"This is the first province in Iraq to have this mobile training team," Iraqi Sgt. Hayder Sahib Silan, a police instructor in Wasit Silan said. "The other provinces rely on their academies and the coalition-led police training teams. But here in Wasit, we have the first independent, fully trained Iraqi mobile training team responsible for professional development and training of the Iraqi police."