U.S. officials have said they will not seek the same blanket protections currently enjoyed by private security contractors in Iraq, nor will they necessarily ask to extend U.S. freedom to conduct military operations at will. But they will want to preserve the right to pursue suspected terrorists here.
Another senior administration official noted in January that Iraqi security forces' effectiveness varies from region to region and said the agreement must have "enough flexibility for us to adapt based on conditions on the ground."
