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October 24, 2011

U.S. to Keep Private Forces, Negotiate New Military Terms in Iraq; Clinton Warns Iran on Withdrawal 
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Despite withdrawing nearly all troops by the end of 2011, the United
States will still maintain a large force of private contractors.
According to ABC News, at least 5,000 contractors will remain in Iraq in
addition to more than 4,500 support personnel. The United States closed
its regional headquarters in northern Iraq in advance of the withdrawal
date. Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said the United States will maintain strong military ties with
Iraq, and issued a warning to Iran over trying to exert influence
following the U.S. withdrawal.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: "No one should miscalculate
America's resolve and commitment to helping support the Iraqi democracy.
We have paid too high a price to give the Iraqis this chance. And I hope
that Iran and no one else miscalculates that. We are now going to have a
security relationship with Iraq for training and support of their
military similar to what we have around the world from Jordan to
Columbia."

In addition to maintaining a large private force in Iraq, Obama
administration officials have also floated the possibility of
maintaining a large military deployment in neighboring countries such as
Kuwait. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the United States will
negotiate a new agreement with Iraq over military training and
assistance.

Leon Panetta: "Once we completed the reduction of the combat presence,
then I think we begin a process of negotiating with them, in order to
determine what would be the nature of that relationship, what kind of
training do they need, what kinds of security needs do they need and how
can we provide it in an effective way. We do this in other countries.
That's what we are going to do in Iraq."



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