[Politics/Religion] Mission Accomplished!

Thursday marked the first day of a U.S.-Iraqi pact that allows U.S. forces to remain in the country until 2011, under tighter restrictions. Similar agreements have been signed with other coalition countries that remain in Iraq. A U.N. mandate that authorized international forces in the country expired Wednesday.

Perkins said American troops will continue to fight alongside Iraqis -- "but the Iraqis will be in the lead."

"When you come up to a checkpoint, the Iraqis will check your identification. They will make the decision if you come in or go out," he said.

"We will continue to be there to provide some technical capacity, to provide some mentoring, but you will see less and less American forces and more and more Iraqi forces -- and they will have the majority of the responsibility for making those key decisions which determine the security of the capital."