No timetable for US withdrawal: Iraqi president

WASHINGTON: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Tuesday that Iraq will not set a timetable for a withdrawal of US troops, backing away from his published remarks that the US could withdraw as many as 50,000 troops by the end of the year. “We will set no timetable for withdrawal. A timetable will help the terrorists, will encourage them that they could defeat a superpower of the world and Iraqi people,” Talabani said. “We hope that by the end of 2006 our security forces are up to the level of taking responsibility from many American troops with complete agreement with the Americans,” he added.