'US to continue colonial stay in Iraq' http://www.rebelnews.org/politics/middle-east/828468-us-to-continue-colonial-stay-in-iraq

The US has no plans to completely withdraw its military forces from war-torn Iraq and end its “colonial presence” in the country, a political activist says.“We've heard time and again that when we reach a certain benchmark, US forces will withdraw from Iraq, but as most things that have come out of the mouth of the United States' government, it's dishonest,” said political and justice activist Dahlia Wasfi in a Sunday interview with Press TV. Wasfi said numerous US bases set up in Iraq and its sprawling “embassy complex” in Baghdad that currently employs about 6,000 people are indications that Washington has no intention of a full pull-out of its military foreces. 

“We [the US] intend to stay there as basically the vice-royalty in Iraq, as a colonial presence,” she said. Although “the US agenda continues to remain in Iraq,” hopefully the US will have no choice but to eventually withdraw from Iraq, as the US economy continues to spiral downward, Wasfi added.Last month, Iraqi lawmaker Qasim Mohammad Jalal said US officials had held secret talks with the Iraqi government in a bid to pave the way for an extended stay of US troops in the country past the deadline set in the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).Over 47,000 US troops are currently stationed in Iraq.