Mokhiber: Scott, Ambassador (Paul) Bremer said yesterday that U.S. troops will remain on the ground in Iraq even after the government is elected there. What if the (Iraqi) government asks the U.S. to get out. Would we get out?

Scott McClellan: I don't think that is the case. The governing council themselves said that they would expect that they would remain - that we would remain as invited guests -

Mokhiber: But let's say they ask us to leave -

Scott McClellan: The coalition forces, the security of Iraq is a very high priority. And we will continue to have discussions with the governing council as we move forward, and we will continue to have discussions with the new interim government once it is in place - about security matters.

Mokhiber: But the question is - let's say they elect a theocracy, against your wishes. And the theocracy says - like in Iran - get out. Will we get out?

Scott McClellan: Again, we will continue to have discussions with the new interim government -

Mokhiber: What if they don't want discussions? What if they just want us to get out?

Scott McClellan: The Iraqi people have indicated in a number of different ways, if you look at polls, if you look at the governing council representatives, that they want us to say until the job is finished. And part of that job is making sure that we have a secure environment for the Iraqi people. And we still have important obligations that will need to be fulfilled. That includes the security side, that includes the reconstruction side. There are an enormous amount of resources going into Iraq from the international community. All of us have a stake in seeing a peaceful and free Iraq come about. It is important to transforming the Middle East. The Middle East has been a volatile region. It has been a breeding ground for terrorism, and bringing about a free, peaceful, democratic Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will help transform that region for the better, bring about a safer and better world.

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-Thanks to Russell Mokhiber

White House reporter Russell Mokhiber is the editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter - www.corporatecrimereporter.com. He co-authors the weekly Focus on the Corporation column with Robert Weissman which Common Dreams publishes. He can be reached at: russell@nationalpress.com