Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
New York Times
October 22, 2008
Pg. 6
By Alissa J. Rubin and Katherine Zoepf
BAGHDAD — In a sign of growing unease with the proposed security agreement between the United States and Iraq, the Iraqi cabinet said Tuesday that it would demand changes to the deal and key Iraqi leaders said it was important to have a backup plan in case there was too much opposition for the pact to win approval.
Several senior members of Parliament said there were worries that the agreement left too much leeway for the Americans to stay in Iraq beyond the scheduled deadline for withdrawal in 2011.
The government’s spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said in a statement that “the cabinet has agreed unanimously that the necessary amendments to the draft could make it nationally acceptable.” He did not specify what the amendments were.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was traveling in Latvia, issued a stark warning to the Iraqis to think hard before rejecting the agreement. In some of the sharpest comments to date from the American side, he said that [FONT=Times New Roman, Times]Iraqi[/FONT] Army and police forces would not be able to counter insurgent and terrorist violence after Dec. 31 without the help of the American military. The Iraqis, he said, “will not be ready to provide for their own security.”
Underscoring that point, a deadly firefight broke out in a troubled area south of Baghdad soon after American troops withdrew recently, raising questions about the area’s stability in the absence of American forces.
The status of forces agreement has been the subject of delicate negotiations for the past eight months. The current draft accord has been described as a final text, and the Americans have indicated that they are not inclined to make more changes.
The United Nations Security Council resolution that authorizes American troop operations in Iraq expires on Dec. 31, and unless the agreement is in place or the Council votes to extend the existing resolution, American troops would have to cease all operations at the end of the year.
The draft pact sets a timeline for American troop withdrawals from Iraqi cities by next June and a complete withdrawal from the country on Dec. 31, 2011, but leaves room for adjustments in the schedule depending on conditions in the country.
Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki views that as a possible back-door way for the Americans to extend their presence, said Humam Hamoudi, a leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, a Shiite political party that is allied with Mr. Maliki’s Dawa Party.
“The prime minister said what they have given with the right hand they have taken away with the left hand,” said Mr. Hamoudi, referring to the Americans. “For example, they said the U.S. forces will withdraw from towns by June 2009 if the security situation permits that, but who will decide that?”
Mr. Dabbagh, the government spokesman, said the cabinet would draft amendments to the text to submit to the Americans.
Senior members of the largest Sunni bloc in Parliament, Tawafiq, indicated that they were worried the pact might fall through. They want the Americans to stay, both because they fear a return of Sunni extremists who are antagonistic to more moderate Sunnis and because they fear the Shiite-majority government.
“We want the American side to start looking for alternatives in case the negotiations on the pact reach a deadlock,” said Ayad al-Sammaraie, a leader of the bloc.
Meanwhile, intratribal violence erupted in the village of Sakhreya in central Iraq just a few hours after American troops withdrew from the immediate area, resulting in up to 15 deaths, witnesses and Iraqi police officers said. It was unclear whether the fighting had occurred Tuesday or earlier.
Sakhreya lies in a disputed area between Babil Province, which is mostly Shiite, and Anbar Province, which is overwhelmingly Sunni. One of the branches of a Sunni tribe in the village supported the insurgency while another branch backed the Americans, a local [FONT=Times New Roman, Times]farmer[/FONT] said.
The American military did not respond on Tuesday to requests for information about the episode, which occurred just as it was preparing to turn Babil Province over to full Iraqi control.
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times]Abeer Mohammed and Riyadh Mohammed contributed reporting from Baghdad, and Thom Shanker from Riga, Latvia.[/FONT]
October 22, 2008
Pg. 6
By Alissa J. Rubin and Katherine Zoepf
BAGHDAD — In a sign of growing unease with the proposed security agreement between the United States and Iraq, the Iraqi cabinet said Tuesday that it would demand changes to the deal and key Iraqi leaders said it was important to have a backup plan in case there was too much opposition for the pact to win approval.
Several senior members of Parliament said there were worries that the agreement left too much leeway for the Americans to stay in Iraq beyond the scheduled deadline for withdrawal in 2011.
The government’s spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said in a statement that “the cabinet has agreed unanimously that the necessary amendments to the draft could make it nationally acceptable.” He did not specify what the amendments were.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was traveling in Latvia, issued a stark warning to the Iraqis to think hard before rejecting the agreement. In some of the sharpest comments to date from the American side, he said that [FONT=Times New Roman, Times]Iraqi[/FONT] Army and police forces would not be able to counter insurgent and terrorist violence after Dec. 31 without the help of the American military. The Iraqis, he said, “will not be ready to provide for their own security.”
Underscoring that point, a deadly firefight broke out in a troubled area south of Baghdad soon after American troops withdrew recently, raising questions about the area’s stability in the absence of American forces.
The status of forces agreement has been the subject of delicate negotiations for the past eight months. The current draft accord has been described as a final text, and the Americans have indicated that they are not inclined to make more changes.
The United Nations Security Council resolution that authorizes American troop operations in Iraq expires on Dec. 31, and unless the agreement is in place or the Council votes to extend the existing resolution, American troops would have to cease all operations at the end of the year.
The draft pact sets a timeline for American troop withdrawals from Iraqi cities by next June and a complete withdrawal from the country on Dec. 31, 2011, but leaves room for adjustments in the schedule depending on conditions in the country.
Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki views that as a possible back-door way for the Americans to extend their presence, said Humam Hamoudi, a leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, a Shiite political party that is allied with Mr. Maliki’s Dawa Party.
“The prime minister said what they have given with the right hand they have taken away with the left hand,” said Mr. Hamoudi, referring to the Americans. “For example, they said the U.S. forces will withdraw from towns by June 2009 if the security situation permits that, but who will decide that?”
Mr. Dabbagh, the government spokesman, said the cabinet would draft amendments to the text to submit to the Americans.
Senior members of the largest Sunni bloc in Parliament, Tawafiq, indicated that they were worried the pact might fall through. They want the Americans to stay, both because they fear a return of Sunni extremists who are antagonistic to more moderate Sunnis and because they fear the Shiite-majority government.
“We want the American side to start looking for alternatives in case the negotiations on the pact reach a deadlock,” said Ayad al-Sammaraie, a leader of the bloc.
Meanwhile, intratribal violence erupted in the village of Sakhreya in central Iraq just a few hours after American troops withdrew from the immediate area, resulting in up to 15 deaths, witnesses and Iraqi police officers said. It was unclear whether the fighting had occurred Tuesday or earlier.
Sakhreya lies in a disputed area between Babil Province, which is mostly Shiite, and Anbar Province, which is overwhelmingly Sunni. One of the branches of a Sunni tribe in the village supported the insurgency while another branch backed the Americans, a local [FONT=Times New Roman, Times]farmer[/FONT] said.
The American military did not respond on Tuesday to requests for information about the episode, which occurred just as it was preparing to turn Babil Province over to full Iraqi control.
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times]Abeer Mohammed and Riyadh Mohammed contributed reporting from Baghdad, and Thom Shanker from Riga, Latvia.[/FONT]