U.S. withdrawal from cities real test for Iraqi forces- MP

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: An Iraqi parliamentarian from the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) on Tuesday said that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraqi cities and towns by the end of the current month represents a “real test” for Iraqi forces. “The U.S. troop pullout from Iraqi cities and towns on June 30 is a real test of the ability of our Iraqi forces to face security challenges all over Iraq,” MP Qays al-Aameri told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The exit of U.S. forces and the absence of their participation in combat operations will demonstrate the shortcomings of the Iraqi security forces, which will be rectified by security leaders…,” Aameri added. On December 13, 2008, the Iraqi government signed a long-term agreement with the United States, known as the Status-of-Forces Agreement (SOFA) to regulate the presence and withdrawal of foreign troops after 2008. Under the agreement, a complete troop withdrawal from Iraq is supposed to take place by the end of 2011. SS (P) 1