The U.S. has promised to withdraw from Iraq by the end of the year as required by a 2008 security agreement

Workers transfer a container in front of Saddam Hussein’s Al Faw palace at Camp Victory that is set to close in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. The U.S. has promised to withdraw from Iraq by the end of the year as required by a 2008 security agreement between Washington and Baghdad. Some 41,000 U.S. troops are scheduled to clear out along with their equipment. It’s still unclear if the U.S. military will keep several thousand troops in Iraq as leaders weigh whether staunch political opposition in both nations is worth the risk. The uncertainty has been a logistical nightmare for American commanders, who could be asked at the last minute to keep some equipment and manpower back but for now must push ahead in case the withdrawal plan stands. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)