A new agreement between the White House and the Maliki government has guaranteed that we'll be in Iraq forever now. Why? Because Iraq can't defend itself and is so destabilized that it won't be self-sustaining for a long, long, long time. Therefore our troops will continue to serve as a vulnerable barrier between warring factions. More from TPM.
Security: To support the Iraqi government in training, equipping, and arming the Iraqi Security Forces so they can provide security and stability to all Iraqis; support the Iraqi government in contributing to the international fight against terrorism by confronting terrorists such as Al-Qaeda, its affiliates, other terrorist groups, as well as all other outlaw groups, such as criminal remnants of the former regime; and to provide security assurances to the Iraqi Government to deter any external aggression and to ensure the integrity of Iraq's territory.
I wonder if Maliki knows that this means more mercenaries, too.
Amato at C&L discusses another side to this awful scam.