The
United States on Friday rejected a request by Iraq's caretaker prime minister to send a delegation to start preparations to pull out its 5,200 troops in the country.
![US rejects Iraq request to discuss troop withdrawal](http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/4cf3439cd1f46c59b0048b3913767302203d97c5.jpg)
"At this time, any delegation sent to
Iraq would be dedicated to discussing how to best recommit to our strategic partnership -- not to discuss troop withdrawal, but our right, appropriate force posture in the
Middle East," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said.
Iraqi leaders were infuriated by a US drone strike at Baghdad's airport that killed Iran's most prominent general and parliament voted Sunday to rescind an invitation to foreign troops.