U.S. Troops in Baghdad

U.S. forces said they waged successful battles against both Sunni and Shiite extremists and announced Thursday they had seized two men possibly linked to the capture of three American soldiers earlier this year. The battles north and south of Baghdad came as the military seeks to take advantage of the improving security situation in Iraq to carry out targeted operations against extremist groups and the foreign led al-Qaida in Iraq.

Iraq - Long Term Presence Framework Set

On Monday, President Bush signed a deal setting the foundation for a potential long term U.S. troop presence in Iraq. The details are to be negotiated over matters that have defined the war debate at home. That is how many U. S. forces will stay in the country and for how long. The agreement between Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki confirms that the United States and Iraq will hash out an "enduring" relationship in military, economic and political terms. This proposal underlines how the U.S. and Iraq are exploring what their relationship might look like once the U.S. significantly draws down its troop presence.