BAGHDAD, February 28, SPA -- Iraq's prime minister says the country'ssecurity forces have been tested and have shown they areready to take over from the Americans, according to a report of the Associated Press. Nouri Al-Maliki also says U.S. President Barack Obama agreed ina phone call Friday on the need to provide Iraq with moremilitary equipment and weapons to fight insurgents andforeign threats. Obama has declared he will end combat operations within 18months but leave as many as 50,000 troops behind for anadditional year and half of support and counterterrorismduties. Al-Maliki says in a statement Saturday, the U.S. missionin Iraq «will change completely» but the Iraqis «haveproven, through tests, their abilities and efficiency inestablishing security across the provinces.»--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/639516