Editorial: The pullback begins

The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq's cities yesterday was the beginning of an end scheduled to be completed by 2012, when all American forces must leave that country.

It's hard to see that happening now, with the situation tenuous; four U.S. soldiers were killed Monday, and at least 24 Iraqis died in a car bombing yesterday. But it will have to get a lot worse to alter the timeline for withdrawal. The American public is ready to quit Iraq, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki wants to prove he's his own man before facing an election.

Maliki's remarks on "Sovereignty Day" made little reference to the sacrifices of American troops. Instead, he called the pullback of U.S. soldiers a "victory." His rhetoric was matched by shouts of "Out, America, out!" heard at a celebration in Zawra Park. "We have now got rid of the occupiers," said a man at Baghdad's zoo.

But the 130,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq haven't gone very far. Most of the ones in urban areas were moved to forward operating bases, where they can quickly respond to specific requests for assistance from the Iraqi command. Dozens of soldiers were also assigned to small "joint security stations" inside Baghdad.

Maliki will do whatever it takes to avoid looking as if he needs the "occupiers" to return to the cities. He will work hard to maintain stability, and will likely show little tolerance for dissent. He is also expected to exhibit a growing coziness with Iran, whose tentacles into Iraq grow ever stronger.

The Iraq/Iran relationship must keep President Obama focused on achieving a regional solution to the area's volatility. Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at Obama for criticizing the fraud in Iran's recent presidential elections. But Obama shouldn't give up on someday finding a way to gather the region's nations for a conference.

Meanwhile, Americans will be hoping as much as the Iraqis that U.S. troops won't have to be invited back into the cities to resume full combat operations. While Obama is going forward with his shift of soldiers and materiel to the Afghanistan theater, much will depend on how well the Iraqi security forces do without U.S. soldiers taking the lead.

The 270,000 personnel that make up Iraq's army, navy, and small air force are supported by 350,000 police. They are well-equipped, which was easy to see as they marched on Sovereignty Day in full combat gear, accompanied by U.S.-made tanks and trucks. But Pentagon officials say most of the security forces aren't ready to conduct counter-insurgency operations on their own.

Ready or not, in about a year, only U.S. "trainers" are supposed to be left in Iraq; and by 2012 no U.S. troops at all. The clock is ticking.