NATO Withdraws All Iraq Troops

President Obama said Washington's relationship with Iraq is "just starting" as the country's prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, joined him for a press conference at the White House. The two leaders met to herald a new chapter as the war comes to a close before all U.S. troops withdraw by year's end. The two countries are expected to establish more normal but unfamiliar diplomatic ties. Meanwhile, NATO said Monday it will permanently withdraw all its soldiers from Iraq and end its military-training mission by Dec. 31, concurrent with the U.S. pullout date. Maliki had wanted the training mission to stay until the end of 2013, but insisted that all NATO troops in the country be subject to Iraq’s laws and courts. NATO declined, and decided to withdraw. (The demand also led to the full U.S. pullout.)