“Iraq’s interest lies in U.S. troops presence in Iraq,” al-Iraqiya Coalition’s member says

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A leading member in al-Iraqiya Coalition, led by Iyad Allawi, has said on Monday that it’s for the interest of Iraq now to extend the presence of the American forces in Iraq, pending agreement among political parties in this respect, adding that the American side wishes to keep 10,000 to 30,000 soldiers in Iraq.   “The visit of U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, for Baghdad has come for clear political motives, particularly to see the Iraqi government’s position towards the stay or departure of the American troops from Iraq,” Nabil Harbo told IraqiNews.com news agency.   He said that the American side “wants to exploit the current crisis among Iraq’s political parties to achieve Iraq’s approval to keep 10,000 to 30,000 of its soldiers inside Iraq.”   The new U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, had arrived in Baghdad on Sunday, on a surprise official visit to discuss the issue of the withdrawal or extension of the U.S. troops presence in Iraq.   “It is to the interest of Iraq to keep the American troops in the country at the current period, till the arrival of the political forces for understandings and agreement to act with the framework of the government of national-partnership,” Harbo said.   He stressed that several Iraqi Parliament members agreed on necessity for the stay of the American forces in Iraq, due to the current political crisis.   Noteworthy is that the U.S. combat troops have withdrawn from Iraq at the end of last August, according to the Strategic Treaty, signed between Baghdad and Washington at the end of 2008, whilst the remaining non-combat troops, estimated at 50,000, would complete their withdrawal at the end of the current year.   SKH (TR)/SR 633