Saturday at its headquarters that their troops would begin returning home within weeks . When family members inquired why soldiers were returning early , they were told by a military official : `` Basically , what 's happened ... is that the United States and Iraq have not come to an agreement , '' according to a CNN reporter who attended the meeting . Additionally , the brigade official told families : `` We were over there for a couple of missions . Those missions are finished . '' A U.S. military official in Iraq , speaking on condition of anonymity , confirmed to CNN Saturday the early withdrawal of this brigade , citing a number of possible reasons , including the lack of a deal on the legal immunity issue and the fact that the State Department is `` standing up '' its operations faster than expected . When the United States and Iraq agreed in 2008 to a withdrawal deadline , the two countries also signed off on a Strategic Framework Agreement that calls for a long-term bilateral relationship . As part of that agreement , the State Department is deploying thousands of workers to Iraq to take
El Paso , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A brigade of U.S. troops originally scheduled to be among the very last to leave Iraq is being pulled out of the country months ahead of its planned departure , military officials said Saturday . The announcement follows news this month that a deal to keep American troops in Iraq past a December 31 , 2011 , deadline to withdraw was on shaky ground after Iraqi leadership said any remaining U.S. forces would not be granted immunity from Iraqi prosecution . Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and other top brass have repeatedly said any deal to keep U.S. troops in Iraq beyond the withdrawal deadline must require a guarantee of legal protection for American soldiers . The Fourth Brigade Combat Team , First Armored Division , based at Fort Bliss , deployed to Iraq in August to replace two withdrawing brigades . The troops were sent with the understanding they would be among the last to leave the country and were told to expect up to a 12-month deployment , though it was n't clear how long they would stay in Iraq . But brigade officials informed hundreds of military families gathered