Ater months of delays, the United States and Iraq have agreed on a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Equally important, the accord sets limits on those forces' freedom of action, giving the Baghdad government more authority over them.
The agreement is an important step forward in the restoration of full Iraqi sovereignty, but it also requires the Iraqi government to step up and take responsibility for maintaining peace and security in the country.
U.S. troops provided a much-needed security force after the spring 2003 U.S. invasion, when formal instruments of the Iraqi government dissolved. The insurgency that followed showed how ill-prepared the new Iraqi security forces were; they tended to retreat when challenged, and preferred using their weapons to settle scores with Sunnis who dominated the previous regime to fighting armed enemies who could shoot back.