Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is demanding that the United States set a timetable for withdrawal of troops from the war-torn country.
The demand is included among terms of a new security deal that would replace the soon-to-expire United Nations mandate for coalition forces in Iraq.
The Bush administration has long opposed setting any timetable for withdrawal, saying that would only lead to more acts of terrorism. But the call also comes as security in Iraq continues to improve, allowing Maliki to give ground to Iraqi political voices seeking a U.S. troop drawdown.
"Today, we are looking at the necessity of terminating the foreign presence on Iraqi lands and restoring full sovereignty," Maliki told Arab ambassadors in the United Arab Emirates, where he wrapped up an official visit Monday.
"The direction we are taking is to have a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or to have a timetable for their withdrawal."

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In a rebuff to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki, the Pentagon said yesterday that any timetable for a US withdrawal from Iraq would depend on conditions on the ground there.

Maliki told Arab ambassadors he was pressing for such a timetable in negotiations with Washington on an agreement on the status of US forces in Iraq beyond this year.

Asked about the prime minister's comments, a Pentagon spokesman said: "With respect to timetables I would say the same thing I would say as respects to the security situation - it is dependent on conditions on the ground."

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Maybe the Iraqis should draft a Declaration of Independence . . .