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BY STEVEN SPARKMAN

You're watching multisource U.S. video news analysis from Newsy.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Iraqi governments have apparently hit a wall over an agreement to leave some American troops in Iraq. Saturday, reports said there’s no getting around the December 31st deadline. (Video: MSNBC)

“And according to the Associated Press, the White House has decided to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq at the end of the year with the exception of those needed to guard the embassy. The Pentagon had considered leaving 5,000 troops in the country.”

The White House responded to the report, saying it simply wasn’t true. Fox News has comments from National Security Council spokesperson Tommy Vietor saying -- there’s still plenty of room for the countries to negotiate.

“President Obama has repeatedly made it clear we’re committed to keeping our agreement with the Iraqi government to remove all of our troops by the end of this year. At the same time, we’re building a comprehensive partnership with Iraq under the Strategic Framework Agreement, including a robust security relationship, and discussions with the Iraqis about the nature of that relationship are ongoing.”

The major sticking point between the two governments is immunity for U.S. troops from Iraqi law. A columnist for Al Arabiya writes, the U.S. government insists troops be given immunity, but the Iraqis see things differently.

“Iraq says that there is no need for such immunity since the trainers would be operating only within the bases. The conflicting positions have given rise to concerns that the U.S. intends to use ‘the trainers’ as combat soldiers whenever it deems fit and the Baghdad government would have no say in the issue.”
 

There are some possible tactics the two governments can use to keep a U.S. training force in the country, including starting a brand new strategic agreement. But a writer for Slate says, it may not make much of a difference.

“...of course, even without actual troops, U.S. presence in Iraq will remain large. Hundreds of American civil contracts will still be going to Iraq for training programs and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is the largest in the world.”