- J a af ari ▁and ▁President ▁J al al ▁Tal ab ani ▁following ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁elections ▁of ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Under ▁United ▁Nations ▁Security ▁Council ▁Resol ution ▁ 1 7 9 0 , ▁the ▁mand ate ▁of ▁the ▁mult in ational ▁force ▁in ▁Ira q ▁was ▁extended ▁until ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁after ▁which ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁just ification ▁for ▁foreign ▁militar ies ▁to ▁remain ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁On ▁ 6 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁Independent ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁was ▁applying ▁pressure ▁to ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Ira q ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁" str ateg ic ▁al liance " ▁( not ▁a ▁" tre aty ", ▁which ▁would ▁require ▁appro val ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁sen ate ), ▁giving ▁US ▁forces ▁broad ▁freedom ▁in ▁continu ing ▁to ▁operate ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁ ▁Provin cial ▁Ira qi ▁control ▁The ▁objective ▁of ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Government ▁and ▁Multi - National ▁Forces ▁in ▁Ira q ▁is ▁to ▁achieve ▁the ▁transition ▁of ▁responsibility ▁for ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 ▁provinces ▁in ▁Ira q ▁from ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁to ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁civil ▁authorities , ▁both ▁national ▁and ▁local . ▁ ▁Most ▁attention ▁on ▁the ▁issue ▁is ▁understand ably ▁focused ▁on ▁progress ▁towards ▁security ▁within ▁the ▁provinces , ▁both ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁threat ▁from ▁ins urg ents ▁and ▁the ▁cap ability ▁of ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Security ▁Forces , ▁but ▁other ▁factors , ▁such ▁as ▁the