From the AP:

The United States is open to the idea of keeping troops in Iraq past a deadline to leave next year if Iraq asks for it, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.

Hey, why not forever?

"We'll stand by," Gates said. "We're ready to have that discussion if and when they want to raise it with us."

Could someone please explain  -- could someone please ask -- why the USA should continue to bleed for an Israel-boycotting, sharia-bound, OPEC nation of thankless never-never-allies increasingly subverted to Iranian (and other nasty) interests? 

Gates urged Iraq's squabbling political groups to reconcile after eight months of deadlock.

Maybe squabbling is what they like to do.

Any request to extend the U.S. military presence in Iraq would have to come from a functioning Iraqi government. It would amend the current agreement under which U.S. troops must leave by the end of 2011.

"That initiative clearly needs to come from the Iraqis; we are open to discussing it," Gates said.

U.S. and Iraqi officials have said for months that they expect Iraqi leaders to eventually ask for an extension of the military agreement with the U.S., but the political impasse has put the idea on hold.

Good. I hope the political impasse continues until our troops squeak past the departure deadline.  Iraq as a US investment in real estate long ago went under water.

Although the 2011 deadline was a point of pride for Iraq after years of U.S. military occupation, it does not leave much time for the U.S. to train Iraq's fledgling air force.

Iraq also wants more U.S. help to protect its borders.

Um, how about more US help to protect US borders?