Looks like yesterday's meeting was just another failed attempt to break the deadlock.
The "agreement" the political leaders reached is practically worth nothing. Washington will not like this. The US is not willing to station people overseas without legal protections...I think it's politically indefensible in the US.
The cause of this deadlock is rooted in the disagreements on power, land and money. All the Iraqi political leaders (except the Sadrists) are willing to vote in favor of immunity, but they will not give this to PM Maliki for free. Specifically, Iraqiya wants the Policies Council and Defense Ministry, while the Kurdistani Alliance wants a friendly oil and gas law [there is coordination on this issue with Iraqiya to reach a mutually accepted draft] and, eventually, some progress on disputed territories. If the Kurds and Iraqiya get these some of these demands, they will support Maliki's request for parliament to give immunity to US troops.
We either get an all-encompassing agreement addressing the issues of power-sharing, oil and gas legislation and US presence, or nothing at all. In other words, Nouri Al-Maliki can't keep both the guns and the money.
5 comments:
That is untrue. The US has many servicemembers in countries where immunity is not provided. Qatar, for instance, provides no immunity to US servicemembers. This is quite surprising, considering this is where servicemembers stationed in the middle east go for rest and recouperation.
That's a good point. Although the nature of presence and missions in places like Qatar are different than in places like Iraq or Afghanistan. The higher the risks, the more you need protection.
The US is right in not signing a Status of Forces agreement without protection under the UCMJ not Iraqi law. If Iraq wants to cut of heads and hands as provided for under their laws, so be it, but not for our servicemen. They deserve better being the policmen for the world
Glad to see this website is still around and that it has become more open about the identities of the contributors since the last time I visited. The articles in the USA about the last of the US troops being withdrawn is what brought me back here. Just trying to determine what the Iraqi point of view was.
I think we will be back if you need us, but that your nation will need to request our assistance.
Please don't stop writing.
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