Thorns in US-Iraq security pact

The White House insisted on Monday that talks with Iraq on a deal governing a long-term US military presence there are "on track" but declined to restate a July 31 deadline for sealing the accord.

In fact, there are three overriding reasons for the Bush administration to reach a long-term security pact with Iraq.

First, time is running out for Washington. The Iraq War, a preemptive war that was not authorized by the United Nations in the first place, has dragged on for five years. As Bush's days in the White House are counting down, it is an imperative that his administration work out a solution to get out of the Iraq War as soon as possible.