U.S. commander might need troops beyond August

[sabra]

Source: Voice of Iraq

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq says it might be necessary to keep some American combat forces in the country beyond the August 31 deadline, to continue serving as a buffer between Iraqi national and Kurdish regional forces.　

Speaking from his headquarters in northern Iraq, Major General Tony Cucolo told reporters during a conference call it might be necessary to keep combat troops involved in the security mechanism that maintains peace between Iraqi national and Kurdish regional forces beyond the deadline, Voice of America reported.

“If there is any place we keep combat power, this is just my guess, it’s as a part of the combined security mechanism,” said General Cucolo.

That would require a change in the U.S.-Iraqi agreement that calls for all American combat troops to be out of Iraq by the end of August, and senior U.S. officials have said it would take a major security problem for them to advocate such a change.　 But General Cucolo says he is only talking about maybe 800 troops in 26 small units spread along the Arab-Kurd regional border, and they could be redesignated as advisory units, the U.S. network said.

Read more: http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=128437