Gates applies more pressure to extend deadline

US Defense Secretary Gates urges post-2011 occupation of Iraq

WSWS reports (May 26^th): Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged in a speech that the US occupation of Iraq be continued beyond a December 31, 2011 deadline for the withdrawal of all American forces. He argued that the US military must remain on Iraqi soil to counter Iranian influence and maintain US power both within the country and the broader region.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/may2011/iraq-m26.shtml

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reports: 

Sadr supporters rally over US troops in Iraq

Al Jazeera reports (May 26^th): Thousands of supporters of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have rallied in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in a show of force against any extension of US military presence in the country past a year-end deadline.
According to our correspondent, the cleric's loyalists staged a peaceful protest, marching without carrying weapons, but this was no cause for relief.
"They have a message aimed at Americans: if you stay beyond the deadline set by the SOFA agreement, the security agreement signed between the US and Iraq - if they stay beyond that date which is 31 of December, the end of this year, the Mahdi army will resume its military activities and they will battle US forces," Al Saleh said.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/05/201152614115431859.html