By Suzanne Goldenberg, The Guardian UK
The Bush administration formally committed America yesterday to a long-term military presence in Iraq, pledging to protect the government in Baghdad from internal coup plots and foreign enemies.
The cooperation pact, endorsed by George Bush and the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, during a video conference yesterday morning, will set the agenda for a future American relationship with Iraq, the administration’s adviser on Iraq and Afghanistan, General Douglas Lute, told reporters at the White House.
“The two negotiating teams, Iraq and the United States, now have a common sheet of music with which to begin the negotiations,” Lute said.
The military, economic and diplomatic agreement would commit US forces to defending the government of Iraq from internal and external threats as well as fighting al-Qaida and “all other outlaw groups regardless of affiliation”, according to the declaration of principles released by the White House yesterday.