Time to go.

Bremer says U.S. will leave Iraq if new government asks

The Associated Press
Updated: 8:36 p.m. ET May 14, 2004


BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. administrator of Iraq told regional officials Friday that the United States would leave Iraq if requested to do so by the new Iraqi government — although he thinks such a move is unlikely.


“If the provisional government asks us to leave we will leave,”

L. Paul Bremer told a delegation from Iraq’s Diyala province that American forces would not stay where they were unwelcome.

Bremer said, referring to an Iraqi administration due to take power June 30. “I don’t think that will happen, but obviously we don’t stay in countries where we’re not welcome.”

The United States plans to keep substantial military forces here after the June 30 handover, prompting critics to question whether Iraqis will gain genuine sovereignty.

American officials have said that the terms of the U.S. military role will ultimately be determined by a status of forces agreement to be signed with the new Iraqi government.

On Thursday, Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman said the new Iraqi government will not have the authority to evict American forces from Iraq, quickly reversing a statement made minutes earlier before a House of Representatives panel.

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But were the new government to say it could handle security, “then we would leave,” Powell said.

posted by Stash @ 4:26 PM