Rice, Gates: Iraq accord won't bind next president

WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Nothing in a planned agreement on future relations between the United States and Iraq will bind the next U.S. president to the Bush administration's policies, the U.S. secretaries of state and defense said in an article published on Wednesday.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the long-term "status of forces" agreement being negotiated with Baghdad will not require the Pentagon to continue combat missions in Iraq.

It also will not set U.S. troop levels, commit the United States to defend Iraq against another country or authorize permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, they wrote in an opinion piece in the Washington Post newspaper.

"In short, nothing to be negotiated in the coming months will tie the hands of the next commander in chief, whomever he or she may be," Rice and Gates said.

"Quite the contrary, it will give the president the legal authority to protect our national interest -- and the latitude to chart the next administration's course."

They also said the agreement will not be subject to approval by the U.S. Senate despite calls from some Democrats for a congressional review of the accord.

The United States and Iraq have agreed to start formal negotiations about their future relationship with the goal of finishing an accord by the end of July.

The United States now operates in Iraq under a U.N. authorization that expires at the end of 2008. Status of forces agreements are the accords typically used to set parameters on the activities of U.S. forces stationed in other countries.

But Democrats in Congress have said they worry the Bush administration could use the agreement to lock in a long-term U.S. military presence before the next president is elected on Nov. 4. Some senators have argued the agreement should be subject to Senate approval.

But Rice and Gates rejected that idea.

"Consistent with well-established practice regarding such agreements, nothing will involve the U.S. Senate's treaty-ratification authority -- although we will work closely with the appropriate committees of Congress to keep lawmakers informed and to provide complete transparency," they wrote.

The United States has status of forces agreements with 115 states, Rice and Gates said.

The agreement with Iraq will lay out the authorities and jurisdiction needed to operate and conduct missions, such as helping the Iraqi government fight al Qaeda, build its security forces and stem the flow of weapons and training from Iran, Rice and Gates said.

"There is debate here at home about the future presence, composition and mission of U.S. forces in Iraq," the top U.S. diplomat and Pentagon chief wrote. "It is clear, however, that U.S. forces will need to operate in Iraq beyond the end of this year for progress in stabilizing Iraq to continue." (Reporting by Kristin Roberts, Editing by Vicki Allen)