Accordin to Agence France Presse, Secretary of State C. Rice said Wednesday that the United States would focus on protecting the territorial integrity of Iraq after warnings by Tehran it would fill the vacuum left behind with a planned US troop withdrawal.
Rice said in an interview with NBC television that as Baghdad took over more responsibilities with the withdrawal of US troops, Washington would ensure that Iraq was stable in a “troublesome” neighborhood.

Iraq, she pointed out, “has very troublesome neighbors.
“And I would note that (Iranian) President (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad said if the United States leaves Iraq, Iran is prepared to fill the vacuum,” said the chief US diplomat.