Iraq Approves Troop Withdrawal

Yesterday, Iraq's Parliament passed a pact that will see the withdrawal of all American troops from the country by the end of 2011. The measure won the support of 149 of the 198 members who voted and was backed by the main voting blocs of the Sunni and Kurdish minorities. In negotiations, Sunnis won political reforms from the government and a public referendum on the deal to be held no later than July 30. In 11 months of negotiations with America, Iraq won several concessions, including the hard timetable for withdrawal, the right to try American troops for crimes committed in Iraq, the need for American forces to have Iraqi permission before undertaking operations, and the handing over of detainees in American custody.