Iraq parliament compromises on Brit troops

An Iraqi lawmaker says parliament has reached a compromise to approve a resolution allowing all foreign troops other than Americans to stay in Iraq until July 2009.

An Iraqi lawmaker says parliament has reached a compromise to approve a resolution allowing all foreign troops other than Americans to stay in Iraq until July 2009.

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The agreement that was reached Sunday transforms last week's rejected draft law into a parliamentary resolution, a move requiring only a simple majority in parliament

The move allows lawmakers to circumvent strong opposition to the bill by a small number of radical Shiite deputies. Lawmaker Abbas al-Bayati of the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance says the resolution will be voted on Monday.

Not passing the resolution before a UN mandate expires on Dec. 31 would leave those troops without a legal basis to be in Iraq.