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Iraq requests long-term US presence

Homeless children view the site of a bomb blast in Baghdad yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, in an interview published yesterday, asked for a long-term US military presence in Iraq, saying his country will need two permanent US air bases to deter "foreign interference."

He did not elaborate on the nature of the threat, but his remarks contained an indication he had in mind neighboring Iran.

"I think we will be in need of American forces for a long time -- even two military bases to prevent foreign interference," Talabani told the Washington Post.

"I don't ask to have 100,000 American soldiers -- 10,000 soldiers and two air bases would be enough," he added.

The president made clear the bases would be most welcome in Kurdistan, an autonomous region in northern Iraq that has practiced de facto self-government since the 1991 Gulf War.

But he suggested that the Sunni Arab segment of the Iraqi population would also welcome a long-term US military presence.

"In some places Sunnis want the Americans to stay," he argued. "Sunnis think the main danger is coming from Iran now."

The comments come as top US military commanders admitted the US will not be able to reduce its 147,000-strong contingent in Iraq in the coming months because of spreading sectarian violence and the possibility of the country slipping into civil war.

US Central Command head General John Abizaid told defense reporters last week any previous plans to draw down US troops in Iraq had been put off until at least next spring, and the force level might even go up.

"I think these are prudent force levels," Abizaid said of the current contingent. "We'll bring in more forces if we have to."

Several US congressional leaders have raised the possibility of the US acquiring long-term basing rights in Iraq in the past, but so far the administration of President George W. Bush has not made a firm commitment.

Talabani met with Bush last week.

The Iraqi President pointed out that US forces had already withdrawn from seven out of 18 Iraqi provinces, handing control over them to fledgling Iraqi security forces.

He predicted that by the end of this year this number will have grown to 12.

But he acknowledged that his government will need a sizable contingent of US and coalition forces until at least 2008, when it hoped Iraqi armed forces are able "to face terrorism and defeat it."

"I think within two years we will be able to train our army and have the capacity to face terrorism," Talabani assured.

However, he insisted that the presence of US forces beyond that point, "even a symbolic one, will frighten those who are trying to interfere in our affairs."

Meanwhile, the official start to Ramadan yesterday was punctuated with violent attacks around Iraq, including an assault on a police station and the discovery of more apparent victims of sectarian death squads in the capital.

One policeman was killed and six wounded when their station in Musayyib, about 60km south of Baghdad came under heavy attack, police said.

Six cars drove up to the building at about 8:30am and opened fire with machine-guns, then began firing volleys of mortar shells, police Captain Salah al-Maamouri said.

The unidentified attackers then fled when US troops arrived.
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