US: "Articles of US-Iraqi pact don't require congress consent"

[sabra]

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1410351.php/"Articles_of_US-Iraqi_pact_dont_require_congress_consent%22

Baghdad - A senior advisor, David Satterfield, to the US Secretary of State said Tuesday that the US-Iraqi long-term security agreement will include articles that do not require the approval of congress.

'The treaty will be executive, legal and international between the two sides,' Satterfield told reporters in Baghdad.

The pact is not the first to be signed between the US and another sovereign country, said the US official. He added that the importance of such treaty is not symbolic, but significant.

Satterfield said that the US would stress the sovereignty of Iraq and that the country is party to all the negotiations based on national decisions.

Meanwhile, the US congress has expressed concern that signing such an agreement will lock any coming administration in a permanent military presence in Iraq. Members of the congress have repeatedly stressed that the pact must be approved by congress before implementation. With its UN mandate in Iraq set to expire in December, the US government has been involved since March in lengthy negotiations with Iraq over a long-term treaty.

[notesdev]

1. It may be just a 'goddamn piece of paper'

but the Constitution requires ratification of treaties by the Senate.

These guys aren't allowed to just make it up as they go along.

[klyon]

3. if one Pres. can do it, the next can undo it

this administration just makes it up as they go

[gratuitous]

2. If it's not ratified, it's not binding

And I'm guessing that the Iraqis are well aware of this. "Sure, we'll agree to any old thing you want, if it means you get the hell out of here. Because as soon as you're out the door and before the echo of its closing has faded away, we know there's squat-ah you can do to enforce any of it."

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. That's another good point

If the Iraqis rebel against this, WHAT exactly are WE going to do about it. Overthrow their "democratically elected" government???? Reduce rebelling towns to ashes???? Mow down scores of Iraqi protestors????

[rox63]

4. If it's done by "executive power"

The next executive can rescind it.

[annabanana]

5. The Iraqi prime minister seems to think it necessary for HIS parliament

to ratify it. Maliki is finding it a very hard sell, however. According to Rachel on last night's show, the Dawa Party (the major, Shi'ite party, currently "ruling") is breaking up over this treaty. Some members, led by the previous PM are "in talks" with Muqtada Al Sadr about it.

It seems that B*shCo has finally succeeded in uniting all regions of Iraq . . . .against us.