Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has suggested the US occupation of Iraq may continue beyond the 2011 deadline for withdrawing troops. Speaking in Washington, Maliki said US forces could stay on to provide “training and support.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki: “Pursuant to the agreement, in 2011, the presence, the military presence of the Americans, will take end in Iraq. Nevertheless, if the Iraqi forces require further training and further support, we shall examine this then, at that time, based on the needs of Iraq. And I am sure that the prospects and the desire of such cooperation is found among both parties. Nevertheless, the nature of that relationship, the functions and the amount of forces will be then discussed and reexamined again.”