On December 17, 2008, the Iraqi cabinet of President Jalal Talabani approved draft legislation which required most non-US foreign troops to withdraw from Iraq by mid-2009. The legislation was initially rejected by the Iraqi Council of Representatives. However, after amending the bill, it was approved three days later. The legislation was presented just weeks after the Iraqi presidential council approved a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) [PDF] between the US and Iraq. The SOFA established a deadline of December 31, 2011 for the withdrawal of all US combat forces.

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You can read comprehensive coverage of The Iraq War in Features.

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