BAGHDAD — The Iraqi parliamentary speaker resigned today, ending a long-running power struggle and allowing lawmakers to authorize British and other nonU. S. foreign troops to remain in the country into 2009.

Lawmakers applauded with the resignation of Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, a Sunni who 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 Bush.

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

The new measure will allow Britain's 4,000 soldiers and smaller contingents from several other countries to stay through and assist U.S. troops until the end of July. The Americans can remain until the end of 2011 under a separate security agreement.

By The Associated Press