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29 March 2024

US demands immunity for its troops in Iraq

Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, right, accompanied by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, gestures during a news conference at the Pentagon (AP)

Published
By AP

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says any American troops who stay in Iraq after the end of this year must have immunity from local prosecution.

Immunity has emerged at the most contentious issue as Baghdad and Washington seek to hammer out an agreement on whether to keep a small American training force in Iraq after this year's troop drawdown.

Officials say less than 5,000 advisers would likely remain. Iraqis don't want any foreigners to be exempt from local laws. But for the US, the lack of immunity is a deal-breaker.

Panetta spoke on Thursday after a meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels.

He says "any kind of US presence demands" that American soldiers receive "the appropriate immunity."

Libya mission

Panetta says there is no clear set of conditions in Libya that will trigger an end to the combat mission, but the operation will not be over if serious fighting and threats to the population continue.

He says that after two days of meetings, Nato ministers agree that the decision will depend on whether forces loyal to ousted leader Moammar Gaddafi are still able to attack civilians and whether the opposition forces are able to provide security for the country as it moves to democracy.

His comments made clear that there is no definitive end to the mission, and did not rule out additional extensions to the operation, which is set to end in late December.

Panetta says that if serious threats to the population continue, the mission will go on.