U.S., Iraq agree on immunity arrangement for American troops

[Judi Lynn]

U.S., Iraq agree on immunity arrangement for American troops
By Associated Press, 6/24/2004 14:33



WASHINGTON (AP) American troops in Iraq would remain immune from prosecution in local courts after the occupation officially ends, under an agreement in principle between the United States and the interim government in Baghdad.

Chief occupation official L. Paul Bremer is still negotiating the plan before the June 30 handover of political power, the general nominated as post-occupation military commander said Thursday.

Gen. George W. Casey Jr. told the Senate Armed Services Committee at a confirmation hearing that U.S. officials are working to get the same protections for American civilian contractors, who are in Iraq by the tens of thousands in military support positions.

A number of senators have expressed concerns repeatedly in the last several months that occupation officials had not worked out a so-called status of forces agreement, a pact the U.S. government routinely signs with countries where American forces are stationed.
(snip/...)

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/176/wash/U_S_Iraq_agree_on_immunity_arr:.shtml

[geek tragedy]

1. Giving the occupying troops and mercenaries

carte blanche to rape and murder ought to dispel the notions that Allawi is a lap dog for the US.

/sarcasm

[arcane1]

2. indeed, you can almost smell the "sovereignty"

and it smells like bullshit

[Danmack]

3. Kinda explains why they quit hounding the UN about this......

They had this in the works and probably had it sewed up yesterday.

Thats why they withdrew their res from the UN.

Assholes

[Spazito]

4. They withdrew their resolution because if it had come to a vote...

they would have lost so they would rather pretend something different.

[Zhade]

5. And here we go.

John "Death Squad Fan #1!" Negroponte + Iyad "CIA asset/former pro-Saddam thug" Allawi + martial law + immunity for US soldiers = status quo of torture and murder of the Iraqi people.

But we can breathe a sigh of relief now that Kerry has stated that Allawi is "the legitimate representative of the Iraqi people".

Remind me again how Kerry will be different from b*sh in the eyes of the Iraqi people?