BAGHDAD (AP):

Iraq's fractious parliament squeezed its abrasive speaker out of a job and authorised non-US troops to stay for another half-year yesterday, in a pair of high-stakes moves in its final session of the year.

Under heavy pressure from Shiite and Kurdish lawmaker, Sunni speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani resigned on the losing end of a long-running power struggle.

Lawmakers applauded his announcement and quickly approved it, then passed a measure allowing Britain's 4,000 troops and several smaller contingents from other countries to stay through July.

Faithfully working

"I do believe that I was faithfully doing good work," he said in his address to the chamber where he often offended other lawmakers. "If I caused hurt to you, I ask your forgiveness."

Al-Mashhadani has clashed repeatedly with Kurdish and Shiite lawmakers in recent years. The enmity reached its peak last week in a shouting match over the detention of the journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush.

Within a half-hour of his resignation, parliament approved the troops measure in a voice vote - just a week before the UN mandate authorising foreign troops was to expire.

Non-US troops can stay

The new measure will allow non-US troops to stay through and assist US troops until the end of July. The Americans can remain until the end of 2011 under a separate security agreement.

The authorisation for foreign troops became entangled in al-Mashhadani's quarrel with Kurdish and Shiite lawmakers last week, when he hurled abuse during a session and threatened to resign. His opponents ultimately forced him to keep his word. In turn, al-Mashhadani tried to delay until January 7 the vote on the foreign troops resolution - a week after the Dec. 31 expiration of the UN mandate.

Britain has already said it plans to withdraw its 4,000 troops from southern Iraq by the end of May. Australia, El Salvador, Estonia and Romania also have troops in Iraq, but much smaller contingents.