In Kuala Lumpur, the secretary of defense reiterates his we’ll-stay-in-Iraq-if-you-ask-us line:

Speaking during a news conference here with Malaysian Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Gates left the door open to discussions about a continued troop presence in Iraq beyond the Dec. 31, 2011, deadline.

“In terms of a future strategic relationship beyond 2011, I would say that initiative clearly needs to come from the Iraqis,” he said. “We are open to discussing it.”

There are going to be logistics specialists and advisers, etc. in Iraq after December 2011. The question is what policymakers think a small contingent would really accomplish. Ten thousand troops in Iraq can’t really accomplish much should things get worse; and they’ll be pretty bored and redundant on their FOBs if things (hopefully) don’t deteriorate.