Pelosi pledges U.S. political role in Iraq

BAGHDAD, May 11 (UPI) -- U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, during a quick trip to Iraq, pledged "intense political involvement" in the country, even as U.S. combat troops withdraw.

Pelosi arrived Sunday in Baghdad for a one-day visit to talk with Iraqi officials about the changing U.S.-Iraqi relationship as Iraqi leaders assume control over running the country, The Washington Post reported Monday.

"We will have intense political involvement as we go forward," the California Democrat said after meeting with Ayad al-Samarraie, the Iraqi parliament's new speaker and a Sunni leader.

Discussions focused on challenges such as the U.S. role in resolving boundary disputes between Iraq's Arab and Kurdish regions, sharing intelligence to fight a remaining insurgency as the U.S. combat presence reduces, and efforts to fight corruption in Iraq's government, the Post reported.

Pelosi also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who said the two countries must share intelligence as the U.S. combat numbers diminish.

"We don't need large numbers of troops anymore inside the cities, which we are capable of controlling," Maliki said. "Our efforts now focus on developing our intelligence apparatus, so that a responsible withdrawal won't affect security."

President Barack Obama said he plans to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq by August 2010, leaving behind a residual force of between 35,000-50,000 personnel.