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| Iraq | ||
| Iraq will seek parliamentary approval of U.S. agreements | ||
| 2008-04-14 | ||
| Iraq will seek parliamentary approval for a strategic agreement being negotiated with the United States even though it expects heated debate over the deal, Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said. U.S. and Iraqi officials began talks last month on a strategic framework agreement that defines long-term bilateral ties and a separate "status of forces" deal outlining rules and protections governing U.S. military activity in Iraq. But not in Iran . . . . The issue has become highly charged in Washington, with members of Congress saying it could tie the hands of the next administration by locking the United States into a long-term military presence in Iraq and arguing Congress should give its consent. Aww, too bad. I guess that would make the next Prez kind of a butthead if they didn't help out when needed over there. Zebari, speaking to Reuters on Sunday, said the first round of negotiations had been completed. U.S. and Iraqi officials in Baghdad have said they aim to finish negotiations by July, well before the next U.S. president is elected on November 4. And Nancy thought she was so darned clever by changing the House rules when she didn't like free trade with Columbia. Go to school and learn from the master, canine female. If you are even capable. "There isn't any hidden agenda here. This agreement will be transparent, it has to be presented to the representatives of the Iraqi people, the parliament, to ratify it," he said. "I'm sure there will be some heated political debate when we come to that but I think on the other hand there is a strong will by the mainstream leadership in this country that this is for Iraq's good. We need that continued engagement." The deal is sure to be rejected by the movement of anti-U.S. Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, which has 30 seats in the 275-member parliament. Sadr pulled his movement out of the government last year over Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's refusal to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Both Republican and Democrat senators said last week they may try to force the White House to seek its approval.
Zebari said both sides hoped to meet that deadline, adding talks would resume soon. The first round was highly technical, he said, without giving details. U.S. forces operate in Iraq under a United Nations mandate that expires at the end of 2008. Iraq does not want that mandate extended, so the two governments must agree guidelines to allow U.S. forces to remain beyond the end of this year. This ought to make for some interesting negotiations, indeed. Let's see if they can stop bickering long enough to save their own skins. | ||
| Posted by:gorb |
| #1 I see this as a good thing. Iraq will be operating as a full nation and moving treaties and agreements through the legislative system. We need to have this run through our congress as well, and I like the idea of an October time frame. The anti-war kooks will come home to roost for the dhimocrats and the dhimocrat congress will no longer be able to spin it as a defeat and the political process isn't working. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-04-14 11:40 |