Ali al-Dabbagh, the official spokesman for the government of Iraq, refused to rule out granting the U.S. military permanent bases in Iraq during next year's negotiations over the shape of a long-term U.S.-Iraq security agreement.

TPMmuckraker had the opportunity to speak with Dabbagh through a blogger conference call set up by the Department of Defense. He declined to speak with any specificity about long-term basing rights for U.S. troops or about Iraq's desired size for a residual U.S. presence. "We are not speaking of permanent bases yet. It is too early to speak of this," he told TPMmuckraker. The level of U.S. troops in Iraq in the future, he said, should be linked to "the status of Iraq's security forces. As long as Iraqi forces are ready, then the number will diminish."

I followed up by asking if the Iraqis would rule out granting the U.S. permanent bases in the upcoming negotiations. He said that discussion on the issue has not begun in Iraq. "This is not an easy issue, having bases here in Iraq," Dabbagh said. "It will be highly debated, but at the end it is a presence. Is it permanent, or for how many years -- five, ten -- this is an issue that is going to be discussed with the political parties," and with the United States, to reach "a common view." He added that "it is very difficult to predict right now, what level of permanence" Iraq will ultimately grant the U.S. military.

Asked by a Pentagon public affairs officer if he had any message for U.S. troops who had served or are still serving in Iraq, Dabbagh replied, "In the end, Iraqis will never forget such sacrifice." That's surely true. After all, that sacrifice isn't going to end.