Political pressure could delay US-Iraq security deal

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - It may take a while for Washington and Baghdad to reach a security deal on the future US military presence amid rising political resistance in Iraq to any loss of sovereignty, experts say.

Given the strains in the Iraqi political scene, President George W. Bush Thursday told Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki the United States was committed to a deal fully respecting Iraqi sovereignty, according to Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman.

~snip~

But they remain at odds on the issue of US troops' immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, a traditional pillar of a Status of Forces Agreement.

The parties also differ on the number of bases US soldiers would have in Iraq long-term -- Washington wants about 50 -- and on the freedom to conduct operations and to arrest and detain Iraqis.

"The current situation poses a dilemma for the Iraqi government. It wants to restore its full sovereignty as soon as possible, while maintaining a coalition presence until Iraqi forces are able to assume the country's security responsibilities," said Nazar Janabi, a fellow at The Washington Institute and a specialist on Iraqi and Middle Eastern security issues.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080621/wl_mideast_afp/usiraqsecurity_080621083706;_

[DailyGrind51]

1. "Political resistance in Iraq", but NONE in the U.S.?

Of course, who would resist in the U.S., Democrats? That would actually take courage, something Democrats don't understand.

[annabanana]

2. Well, Sistani, Al Sadr and now even Maliki are AGAINST

this colonizing "agreement". So I can see where the slowdown is.

The whole security deal is one of those "Republican Compromises" we've come to know & love.

[Frank Cannon]

3. "... committed to a deal fully respecting Iraqi sovereignty"

Last time I checked, fully sovereign nations did not have massive foreign occupying armies in them.

[annabanana]

4. "fully sovereign" nations also

get to prosecute criminals.

But then, Georgie was always a little "fuzzy" on that whole sovereign thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi49tvs8jp8&feature=related

[DailyGrind51]

5. Exactly! And what's this about our guys can arrest their guys,

but their guys being unable to arrest our guys? So a contractor rapes or murders an Iraqi citizen and THEY can't do a damn thing about it? No f---ing deal!