Iraq’s parliament has approved a landmark security pact with the United States that paves the way for US forces to withdraw by the end of 2011. The deal could mark the beginning of the end of a US military presence in Iraq that began with the 2003 invasion. The security pact has been opposed by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and some Sunni groups, in part because it allows US forces to remain for another three years. In a compromise, lawmakers agreed to hold a national referendum on the security pact in July. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki described the pact as one of the best achievements that will help recover Iraq’s sovereignty.

Nouri al-Maliki: “We have achieved one of our greatest achievements by signing the agreement of withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq, to get back our sovereignty that we lost two decades ago, and I congratulate the Iraqi people.”