Bush, Maliki agree on not setting withdrawal timeline

The White House announced Friday that President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki agreed that troop reductions should be “based on continued improving conditions on the ground and not an arbitrary date for withdrawal.”

{mosads}Al-Maliki had made news last week when remarks he made were interpreted to indicate that he would like to see some sort of a timetable included in the bilateral agreement the two countries are in the process of hammering out.

The two leaders, who spoke Thursday via video conference, discussed that pact, which will cover security, diplomacy, economics, health and culture, among other areas.

“In the area of security cooperation, the president and the prime minister agreed that improving conditions should allow for the agreements now under negotiation to include a general time horizon for meeting aspirational goals — such as the resumption of Iraqi security control in their cities and provinces and the further reduction of U.S. combat forces from Iraq,” White House press secretary Dana Perino said in a statement on the conversation.

The White House also touted the “ongoing transition from a primary combat role for U.S. forces to an overwatch role, which focuses on training and advising Iraqi forces, and conducting counter-terror operations in support of those forces.”