63 Days until Turn-over, and Still No Status of Forces Agreement.

[The Lone Liberal]

A Status of Forces agreement establishes under what rules our troops will operate after sovereignty is passed back to the Iraqis. Without such an agreement, under international law the US military will be subject to Iraqi law. In truth such rules of engagement as deadly force reaction to deadly force assault could be declared illegal.

The administration is currently on the horns of a dilemma as to the Status of Forces agreement. After sovereignty is passed to some Iraqi body, any Iraqi supporting a Status of Forces agreement will be viewed by the Iraqi people as agreeing to occupation. If the current Coalition Governing Body backs or accepts such a Status of Forces, they are going to be seen as supporting occupation. Either way, those Iraqis that are involved in working out a Status of Forces agreement will end their political career.

Without such an agreement our troops will be operating further outside international law. Bush has created a jeopardy for the military and it may well end worse that we can currently conceive.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. The regime has broken international law so many times already...

..that I truly believe they don't give a rat's ass for it. They believe that they are above the law.

As for the safety of the troops, remember Babs Bush's comment a year ago about not troubling her beautiful mind with the thought of the dead? In a way, I think they glory in the killing. Hell, it's not their kids getting their asses shot at.

[BiggJawn]

2. That reminds me of a line from "Escape from Corrigedor"

A book written by former Indiana Governor Ed Whitcomb on his exerience as a POW and escapee from the Japanese in WWII.

They asked their Japanese captors if they were going to be treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and International Law, and the response was "Japan Law International Law!"...

"Bush/PNAC 'Law' International Law!"

Why concern yourself with small details like International Law when you think you can threaten the WHOLE world with your 300,000-strong Army? Oh, I forgot, they have "Le Bombe", too.....

[rooboy]

3. Jack Nicholson's running this show now... n/t