Washington ( CNN ) -- Declaring the U.S. goal is a successful Iraq , President Barack Obama on Monday promised economic , diplomatic and military help to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki after the last American troops leave the Middle Eastern nation by the end of the year . The two leaders met at the White House and held a joint news conference to declare the eight-year war formally over now that U.S. troops are completing their withdrawal this month . They then proceeded to Arlington National Ceremony in Virginia for a solemn wreath-laying ceremony to pay respect to the war dead . Obama said the end of the Iraq war means a new chapter in U.S.-Iraq relations , with a focus now on a `` normal relationship between sovereign nations . '' He told the visiting Iraqi prime minister the two nations will build `` a comprehensive partnership '' that includes trade relations , support for building up Iraq 's democratic capacity and military-to-military ties aimed at helping Iraq rebuild its air force , which was destroyed in the war against Saddam Hussein 's regime . `` Our goal is simply to make sure Iraq succeeds , because we think a successful , democratic Iraq can be a model for the entire region , '' Obama said . After the meeting , National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor announced the U.S. government 's intention to sell 18 more F-16 fighter jets to Iraq , doubling the initial sale of 18 announced earlier this year . Al-Maliki said he is committed to building ties . `` The relationship will not end with the departure of the last American soldier , '' he said . At the same time , the Iraqi leader insisted his country now is completely reliant on its own security apparatus , with the help of training by U.S. and NATO forces . `` We have proven success . Nobody imagined that we would succeed in defeating terrorism and al Qaeda , '' al-Maliki said . Also Monday , NATO announced it is withdrawing training forces from Iraq by December 31 . A NATO statement said `` robust negotiations '' on extending the NATO training mission failed to reach agreement . The unresolved issue was granting foreign forces immunity from local prosecution , officials said . The same issue stymied earlier talks between the Obama administration and al-Maliki 's government about the possibility of some U.S. training forces staying longer than the deadline for withdrawal set in an agreement dating back to the Bush administration . Both Obama and al-Maliki have political reasons for ending the U.S. military presence . Obama pledged during his 2008 campaign to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq , while al-Maliki faces internal opposition to the foreign military presence . More than 4,400 U.S. troops were killed and thousands more were wounded in the war that began in 2003 . Iraqi casualties are estimated to exceed 100,000 . Some U.S. conservatives oppose the end of the Iraq operation , arguing that the withdrawal of American forces leaves Iraq vulnerable to political instability from internal forces and neighbors such as Iran . `` Domestic political considerations in each country have been allowed to trump our common security interests , '' Sen. John McCain , R-Arizona , said in a statement. `` All of the progress that both Iraqis and Americans have made , at such painful and substantial cost , has now been put at greater risk . I hope I am wrong , but I fear I am not . It did not have to be this way , and the fact that it is has everything to do with a failure of vision , commitment and leadership both in Washington and Baghdad . '' As of Sunday , 6,000 U.S. troops and four U.S. military bases remained in Iraq , according to Col. Barry Johnson , spokesman for the United States Forces in Iraq . The four bases are : . • Kalsu in Iskandariya , about 20 miles south of Baghdad . • Echo in Diwaniya , about 110 miles south of Baghdad . • Adder near Nasiriya , about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad . • Basra in Basra , about 340 miles southeast of Baghdad . Iraq faces many challenges as U.S. troops pull out , ranging from human rights issues to oil deals to national stability . Obama said Monday that the United States wants to help Iraq `` ramp up oil production '' and is `` helping to encourage international investments in that sector . '' He also said some military-to-military ties will continue , similar to U.S. links with some other countries , and there `` may be occasion for joint exercises . '' The U.S. goal `` is a sovereign Iraq that can protect its borders , protect its airspace , protect its people , '' Obama said . For his part , al-Maliki told reporters he requested military hardware from Obama , including the F-16s to help rebuild the air force . `` Definitely we have raised the issue of the Iraqi need for weapons for area protection , naval and ground protection , '' al-Maliki said . `` We have a lot of weapons , American weapons , and it requires trainers . And we received promises for cooperation from his excellency , the president , for some weapons that Iraq is asking for , especially those related to its protection of its airspace . '' Some analysts fear that violence could spike in Iraq as groups struggle over power in the wake of the U.S. troop withdrawal , and that the decreased U.S. presence could allow Iran to increase its influence . Meghan O'Sullivan , a Bush administration deputy national security adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan from 2004 to 2007 , wrote that there is `` reason to worry '' in a recent analysis for Foreign Affairs posted on CNN 's Global Public Square blog . `` The foundations of the Iraqi state remain shallow . Divisions within Iraq 's ruling elite run deep , '' wrote O'Sullivan , now a professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University . `` A continued U.S. military presence would not have guaranteed peace and prosperity , but its removal increases the risks of failure in Iraq by eliminating the psychological backstop to a still delicate political system and by kicking open the door more widely to foreign interference . '' American officials have insisted the drastic pullback of troops does not mean an end to the U.S. government 's presence in Iraq . Hundreds of nonmilitary U.S. personnel will remain in Iraq , including 1,700 diplomats , law enforcement officers and economic , agriculture and other professionals and experts , according to the State Department . In addition , 5,000 security contractors will protect U.S. diplomats and another 4,500 contractors will serve other roles , such as helping provide food and medical services , until they can be done locally . Future U.S. involvement in training for Iraqi troops is also a possibility , U.S. officials have said . Officials and analysts have said the impact of the U.S. presence will echo for years to come . `` Iraqis , Americans and the world ultimately will judge us far more on the basis of what will happen than what has happened , '' Ryan Crocker , then-U.S. ambassador to Iraq , said in 2008 congressional testimony . `` In the end , how we leave and what we leave behind will be more important than how we came . '' CNN 's Ingrid Formanek and Catherine Shoichet contributed to this report .
NEW : The United States intends to sell 1,700 more F-16 fighter jets to Iraq . President Obama pledges Iraq support for Iraq following withdrawal of troops . Iraqis prime minister : `` The relationship will not end with the departure '' of U.S. troops . Iraq is set to bring home all troops from The United States by the end of the year .