U.S. forces status in Iraq ambiguous

[Dover]

Analysis: U.S. forces status in Iraq ambiguous


WASHINGTON, April 23 (UPI) -- Pentagon and State Department officials insist U.S. forces will be able to operate with impunity in Iraq after June 30 as they do now, but key members of Congress and others familiar with international law are not so sure.

The status of U.S. forces in Iraq after an interim government assumes sovereignty on July 1 is one of many unanswered questions, and one that is likely to wait until that new government is named -- probably by a U.N.-overseen process -- before an answer is given.

Around 135,000 U.S. forces are now in Iraq and are expected to stay at least through the transfer of sovereignty. If the security environment is improved, those numbers will drop to around 105,000.

The authorities -- by which this transfer is to be governed -- are already convoluted. For instance, Iraq has a new defense minister and interior minister with nominal control over that country's armed forces. However, in March U.S. administrator for Iraq Paul Bremer signed an order declaring those forces will continue to be under the operational control of the U.S. military commander in Iraq even after sovereignty.

What remains unclear is whether U.S. forces will have an ability to command Iraqi soldiers in a battle with their own countrymen under the new government. About half the country's 200,000 security personnel called on in recent weeks for battle in Fallujah and around southern Iraq failed to fight. Ten percent switched sides to fight against coalition forces in battles that continue....>

much more - http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/04230000aaa05911.upi&Sys=siteia&Fid=WORLDNEW&Type=News&Filter=World%20News

[NMDemDist2]

1. i am listening to CSpan2 right now

and they are discussing that in a committee

[mulethree]

2. How could Iraqi defense and police be effective under U.S. command?

These guys need to be patrolling streets and borders, not forming up platoons under US commanders and being ordered to attack their own people.