Bush commits troops to Iraq for the long term

· Deal to provide mandate for military beyond 2008
· US oil companies likely to benefit from proposals
By Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington, The Guardian

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.

In return, Iraq pledged itself to "encouraging the flow of foreign
investments to Iraq, especially American investments, to contribute to the
reconstruction and rebuilding of Iraq". The promise was immediately seen as
a potential bonanza for American oil companies.

Lute offered few details on the scale of future US troop levels in Iraq or
permanent US bases. He noted that the agreement, because it was not a
treaty, would not be subject to oversight by Congress. "What US troops are
doing, how many troops are required to do that, are bases required, which
partners will join them - all these things are on the table," he said.

Yesterday's agreement was announced as Maliki indicated he intended to seek
the renewal of the UN security council mandate for Iraq for one more year
when it expires in December. The agreement has been in the works since last
August, when the Maliki government officially requested the long-term
strategic relationship with Washington.

The public unveiling of the proposed arrangement yesterday arrived at a time
when the administration has been trying to showcase recent improvements in
security in Iraq following the deployment of an additional 30,000 US troops
at the beginning of the year.

Some of those forces are scheduled to begin leaving Iraq by the end of this
year following the drop in violence. The rest are due to be withdrawn by the
summer of 2008, although there has been little sign of the political
reconciliation which was the main objective of the surge strategy.

Instead, the administration yesterday appeared to be urging Americans to
look to American and Iraqi negotiators' hopes of producing a broader
agreement on their partnership next summer.

The timetable for negotiations indicated by Lute would see the state
department open negotiations early next year. That all but ensures that Iraq
will dominate next year's US presidential elections.