[Iran Press TV Latest] Ahead of a complete US withdrawal from Iraq, US Vice President Joe Biden warns that Washington would disengage politically if violence in the country intensified. A senior US official told reporters on Saturday that Biden said that America's role in Iraq was switching from deep military engagement to one of diplomatic support..
He however warned "if by the actions of different parties in Iraq, Iraq were to revert to sectarian violence or engage in ethnic violence, then that's not something that would make it likely for us to remain engaged."
"If it actually reverts to violence, then that would change the nature of our engagement. He was quite direct about that," said the official.
Biden was addressing newly sworn-in American soldiers at Camp Victory near Baghdad a day after meeting with Iraqi leaders when he warned of a "hard road ahead if Iraq is going to find lasting peace and stability."
US combat forces left the country's cities and towns on June 30 and handed over security control to the country's 500,000 police and 250,000 soldiers.
At least 133,000 US troops are now based outside major cities to play a training and support role in the country. Under a security agreement signed last November, all US forces should be out of Iraq by the end of 2011.