CIA director Leon Panetta, expected to be the next Secretary of Defense told the Senate during his confirmation hearing he thinks Iraq will ask the U.S. to maintain a military present beyond the end of this year, when American troops are currently scheduled to leave. Panetta said Iraqi leaders will have to decide support they need, and for how long, in order to make sure security gains there are not lost. He said there are still about 1,000 al-Qaida insurgents in Iraq and keeping some troops in Iraq to support security forces there is a good idea.

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