Iraq’s Cabinet approves security pact with U.S.

An Iraqi government spokesman says the Cabinet has approved a security pact with the United States that will allow American forces to stay in Iraq for three years after their U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year.

Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh says all 27 Cabinet ministers present in Sunday’s meeting, in addition to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, voted in favor of the pact. The Cabinet has 37 members, and it is not immediately clear why some ministers stayed away. Several of them are believed to be traveling abroad.

Al-Dabbagh told The Associated Press that the agreement will be submitted to parliament later Sunday, but did not say when the 275-member legislature will vote on the document.