WASHINGTON - Amid high-level U.S. congressional delegations to evaluate developments in Iraq, a growing number of voices here, from both the Barack Obama administration and members of Congress, are concerned about a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country by December 2011 – a deadline set forth in the supposedly inviolable Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the U.S. and Iraqi governments back in 2008.

Regardless of the number of U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq after December, the Department of Defence's current plans for departure will leave behind legions of U.S. diplomatic personnel – the U.S. Department of State intends to double its staff in Iraq to nearly 16,000 and rely entirely on private contractors for security. (AFP/US Army/File/Special Joshua E. Powell)The U.S. raid that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has reinvigorated debate about the necessity of a large U.S. military presence in the region, particularly in Afghanistan, but after Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner's visit to Iraq earlier this month, the argument for keeping troops in Iraq past the deadline has gained momentum.

"I think a small residual force should remain and the sooner the administration engages the Iraqi government, I think the better off we are going to be," Boehner said during his trip.

Regardless of the number of U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq after December, the Department of Defense's current plans for departure will leave behind legions of U.S. diplomatic personnel – the U.S. Department of State intends to double its staff in Iraq to nearly 16,000 and rely entirely on private contractors for security.

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