Iraq and United States Sign Troop Withdrawal Pact

Iraq and the United States signed a long-awaited accord on Monday requiring Washington to withdraw its forces by the end of 2011, eight years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The pact, which must still be passed by the Iraqi parliament, was signed by Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari and U.S. ambassador Ryan Crocker at a ceremony ending months of negotiations on the future of the U.S. presence.

"Definitely, today is an historic day for Iraqi-American relations," Zebari told reporters after exchanging signed copies with Crocker. Both men smiled and enthusiastically shook hands as officials applauded.

Iraq and the United States signed a long-awaited accord on Monday requiring Washington to withdraw its forces by the end of 2011, eight years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The pact, which must still be passed by the Iraqi parliament, was signed by Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari and U.S. ambassador Ryan Crocker at a ceremony ending months of negotiations on the future of the U.S. presence.

The White House said Monday it will take at least a week before U.S.-Iraq security pact finalizes following Iraq's approval on Sunday, which set the deadline for a full withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of 2011.

    Speaking to reporters, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said "I think that we're nearly there, but there are a couple more hurdles that we have to get through, and that is through the council of representatives. There is a reading of it, there's then a debate of it, and then a vote."

    "And so I think we have yet another seven days, a process that they need to go through before we could say that are final," she said.