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| In this image released by the US Department of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. |
The top U.S. military officer says American troops must be given protection from legal prosecution as part of any agreement to keep them in Iraq beyond the end of the year.
Tuesday\'s comments by Joint Chiefs chairman Adm. Mike Mullen could make it more difficult for the troops to stay here.
Washington has offered to let up to 10,000 U.S. troops stay and continue training Iraqi forces on tanks, fighter jets and other military equipment.
Mullen told reporters in Baghdad that Iraq\'s president and prime minister have promised to quickly consider the offer.
But Iraq\'s parliament must approve giving the troops immunity. And lawmakers are leery of extending the U.S. military\'s presence after promising Iraqis the Americans would withdraw by Dec. 31.