The strategic framework agreement and the Status of Forces Agreement "will guide our relationships with Iraq ... affirm Iraq's sovereignty and put its relations with the United States on strong footing," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.

The two agreements include provisions covering topics such as diplomacy, economics, politics and security, Perino said.

The agreement is an acknowledgment that Iraq will "need our help for the next little while," she said.

"But we have a path now to help our troops get home," Perino said. "And we have already (started) bringing troops home, and we're going to be able to continue to do that as long as we solidify the gains that we've made."