Iraqi soldier gestures as he waves his national flag on the fence around the Basra Palace complex in Basra, Iraq, Monday, Sept 3, 2007. Iraqi soldiers hoisted the nation's flag over the Basra palace compound Monday after British troops began withdrawing from their last garrison in the city, a move that will hand control to an Iraqi force riddled with Shiite militiamen. (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)