Celebrations mask modest Iraqi concerns

WASHINGTON, June 30 (UPI) -- Iraqis celebrated a national holiday Tuesday as U.S. combat forces left city centers, but the day was met with concerns over domestic abilities, analyst say.

U.S. combat forces under the terms of a bilateral security arrangement with Baghdad have until midnight Tuesday to pull back to their military bases, ending their presence in Iraqi cities.

Kenneth Pollack, a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, says that for the Iraq people, Tuesday marks a day of national pride.

"For the Iraqis, there certainly is an element of tremendous pride" in their ability to overcome various political and national security hurdles by taking matters into their own hands, Pollack says.

He cautions, however, that there is a certain degree of ambivalence over the U.S. troop withdrawal as concerns mount over the ability of Iraqi security forces to take matters into their own hands.

Many in Iraq, though frustrated with continued foreign occupation, have little trust in their own security forces while sectarian militias and various terrorist elements may seek to exploit the security vacuum and push Iraq toward civil war.

There are provisions in the security agreement that allow Baghdad to seek additional military assistance if need be, though that would be politically risky as Iraqi leaders begin preparations for national elections in January.

Washington, for its part, has adopted a wait-and-see attitude to determine the effectiveness of Iraqi institutions to take possession of sovereignty.

Nevertheless, Pollack says, the Tuesday deadline is part of a slow process that draws on Washington's plans for a responsible and flexible transition in Iraq.