Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said that the withdrawal of the US occupation troops from Iraq at the end of the year "is determined", but noted that “experts and trainers” would remain in the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said that the withdrawal of the US occupation troops from Iraq at the end of the year "is determined", but noted that “experts and trainers” would remain in the country.

 In an exclusive interview with al-Manar channel, al-Maliki said: “The presence of US troops will be over by the end of this year as was agreed”.
However he stressed: “the presence of experts and trainers as well as buying arms is natural and in effect worldwide”.

The Iraqi PM also said that the new security plan launched by the government was successful, noting that their enemy “is not easy”.
Al-Maliki also stressed that “there should be a national unity in Iraq, fairly distributed wealth, democracy and alternately authority”. 

 
Talking about the Arab Spring, al-Maliki expressed concerns that this “spring would change into an autumn”.
“We support people to have their rights of Freedom; however we are worried about the way to attain this freedom, especially if it was gained through foreign interference, local fighting and sectarian clashes”.

He also considered that Syria “has the ability to overcome the crisis through change and reform”.