sovereignty , '' he said at a news conference with Atta . Thursday marked the first day of a U.S.-Iraqi pact that allows U.S. forces to remain in the country until 2011 , under tighter restrictions . Similar agreements have been signed with other coalition countries that remain in Iraq . A U.N. mandate that authorized international forces in the country expired Wednesday . Perkins said American troops will continue to fight alongside Iraqis -- `` but the Iraqis will be in the lead . '' `` When you come up to a checkpoint , the Iraqis will check your identification . They will make the decision if you come in or go out , '' he said . `` We will continue to be there to provide some technical capacity , to provide some mentoring , but you will see less and less American forces and more and more Iraqi forces -- and they will have the majority of the responsibility for making those key decisions which determine the security of the capital . '' Iraq 's three-member Presidency Council ratified the new pact in December . Under the deal , U.S. troops will withdraw from Iraqi cities and
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. military formally handed authority over Baghdad 's `` Green Zone '' to Iraqis on Thursday as new pacts governing the mission of international troops replaced a U.N. mandate . An Iraqi honor guard parades outside the former palace of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad on Thursday . Iraqi troops took over checkpoints around the heavily protected district , formally known as the International Zone , which houses Iraqi government offices and the U.S. Embassy . Saddam Hussein 's Republican Palace , which served as U.S. headquarters in Baghdad after the 2003 invasion that ousted Iraq 's longtime strongman , was among the facilities handed over in Thursday 's ceremony . `` This day is a great day in the history of the Iraqi people , '' Iraqi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta said . Maj. Gen. David Perkins , a U.S. military spokesman , noted the significance of turning over the former Republican Palace . Watch what goes on in the `` Green Zone '' '' `` The palace was handed back to the Iraqi people , significant as symbol of the head of the government and a sign for increased