11-14-05,8:37am

BAGHDAD, 9 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - A unanimous decision this week by the United Nations Security Council to extend the mandate of the US-led multinational force in Iraq received a mixed reaction in the country.

Officials from the US-backed Iraqi government said the country was not yet ready to handle its security unaided and welcomed the extension.

“When we feel strong enough to take care of our security needs ourselves, it will be time for the US to leave,” Leith Kubba, a spokesman for the Iraqi government said on Wednesday.

Previous resolutions adopted by the 15-nation council had declared that the force's mandate could be terminated at the request of the Iraqi government, and would in any case expire once a permanent government was constitutionally elected at the end of 2005.

However, resolution 1637, passed on Tuesday, extended the term of the multinational force “until the end of next year,” allowing for “a review of that mandate at any time, no later than mid-June 2006, or for its termination, at the request of the Iraqi Government.”

There are close to 160,000 US soldiers currently serving in Iraq. On Monday, however, US military sources revealed that fewer troops – some 92,000 – were scheduled for service in the war-torn country from mid-2006 to mid-2008.

Demonstrators marched in Baghdad on Wednesday urging the UN to change its decision. Protesters called for the departure of foreign forces once the new elected government takes office, following a 15 December poll.

Sunni Muslims viewed the motion cynically.

“The resolution will not work, for the simple reason that Washington will not let itself be forced to withdraw,” said Saleh al-Mutalek, spokesman for Sunni representation within the Iraqi government. “And the Shi’ites in the government want to keep the Americans here because it means they’ll be secure under US protection.”

Local people are concerned that continued US presence could lead to increasing insurgency, opposed to the occupation.

“They said they were going to leave our country after the coming elections,” said Maruan Hassan, a resident of the capital, Baghdad. “It isn’t fair to extend their mandate, because insurgents will just use the presence of US-led forces as an excuse to kill more people in Iraq.”

But Baghdad shopkeeper, Khalid Barakat, disagreed.

“US troops freed us from [former Iraqi president] Saddam Hussein,” he said. ”We can’t just force the Americans out now. In the same way they knew when to take Saddam out, they’ll know when to go.”