The Iraqi national cabinet, made up of 23 cabinet ministers, approved a Iraqi-U.S. Security Agreement or SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement). SOFA still needs to be approved by the parliament, but the passage by the national cabinet is a good indicator that it will pass the parliament at as of yet unidentified date.

SOFA will also for the continued presence of American troops in Iraq from January 1, 2009 (when the UN mandate expires) till 2011. It will allow for a continued legal mandate for U.S. troops to remain in the country.

One of the sticking points during negotiations was whether U.S. troops should have immunity from Iraqi prosecution. SOFA will still allow for immunity unless soldiers commit high crimes will off-duty. Who will determine whether they were off-duty? Unclear from report.

SOFA will schedule a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country. First from Iraqi cities and towns in the summer of 2009 and then from the entire country in 2011. The dates are open to flexibility. No mention of U.S. permanent bases in the country in the report.

“This is the best available alternative,” Iraqi government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said after the vote. “We have always said this is not a perfect solution for the Iraqi side and it is not a perfect solution for the American side. But it is a procedure which was forced by circumstances and necessity. This is the time after the progress in the security situation to transfer the security file to the Iraqi side, step by step.”

A spokesperson from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad stated: “We welcome the cabinet’s approval of the agreement today. This is an important and positive step.”