U.S., Iraq Agree To 'Time Horizon'

But U.S. officials voiced confidence that they would be able to reach a separate long-term strategic agreement, which would include the aspirational goals, by the end of the month. They said the goals could involve conditional dates for handing over the former Saddam Hussein-era palace that now houses the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad; turning over key provinces to Iraqi security forces, and transitioning U.S. troops from combat to training missions.

"The agreement will look at goal dates for transition of responsibilities and missions," said another White House spokesman, Gordon Johndroe. "The focus is on the Iraqi assumption of missions, not on what troop levels will be. And obviously, if Iraqis are assuming more missions, then you need fewer American troops."

Iraqi government spokesman Ali Dabbagh confirmed in a statement that Iraq and the United States had agreed "to specify a time horizon to achieve a full handover of security responsibility to the Iraqi forces in order to decrease American forces and allow for its withdrawal from Iraq."

But Sadiq Rikabi, a senior political adviser to Maliki, said in an interview that negotiators were still hashing out the details of troop cuts. The Iraqi government, he said, wants specific timelines governing different stages of what will eventually become a full U.S. withdrawal of combat forces.

"There are two principles that determine the military relationship: no permanent bases and no permanent existence," Rikabi said. "In such a way, there should be a timetable for withdrawal."

Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.), who has conducted hearings on the proposed agreements between Washington and Baghdad, said that the next administration should conduct the negotiations. "They are the ones who are going to have to live with whatever agreement is struck," he said in an interview.

Eggen is traveling with the president in Arizona and Texas. Staff writer Sudarsan Raghavan in Baghdad contributed to this report.