AlQa'dah 8, 1432 H., Oct 6, 2011, SPA -- American troops who remain in Iraq after the end of this year must be granted immunity from local prosecution, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday. Immunity has emerged at the most contentious issue as Baghdad and Washington seek to hammer out an agreement on whether to keep a small American training force in Iraq after this year's troop drawdown. Officials say less than 5,000 advisers would likely remain. Iraqis don't want any foreigners to be exempt from local laws. But for the U.S., the lack of immunity is a deal-breaker. Panetta spoke after a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels dedicated mainly to operations in Libya and Afghanistan. "I can say very clearly that any kind of U.S. presence (in Iraq) demands that we protect and provide the appropriate immunity for our soldiers," Panetta said.
