Bush's Deal With Iraq: A Time Bomb Set to Explode

[babsbunny]

http://www.truthout.org/article/bushs-deal-with-iraq-a-time-bomb-set-explode

Wednesday 27 August 2008

by: Steve Weissman, t r u t h o u t | Perspective


"Iraq, like Vietnam, is a conflict where political realities on the ground will trump America's overwhelming military force," writes Steve Weissman. (Photo: Agence France-Presse)

Back in January, the Bush administration proposed a Status of Forces Agreement to govern relations between American troops and the Iraqis after the UN mandate expires in December 2008. Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton accused the White House of trying to tie the hands of a future American president and many Democrats in Congress voiced the same concern. Even at the time, any agreement had to be less than a binding treaty, which would have required confirmation by an impossible two-thirds vote of the US Senate.

Now, at the end of August, the Bush administration is still trying to cobble together a much-reduced memo of understanding with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is doing much of his negotiating through public statements. Even if he finally agrees to Washington's terms, the deal would still be far from done. The Iraqi Parliament would still have to approve it, and the followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have already taken to the streets to express their opposition to what they've heard so far. In their view, the current understanding would turn Iraq into a US colony.

[spanone]

1. criminals....nothing less

[dkofos]

2. bush better hurry up so pelosi and reid can RUBBERSTAMP it for him.

[panader0]

3. "Iraq, like Vietnam"

If Iraq is truly anything like Vietnam, it will prosper when the US leaves. The situations are different, except that the US is the major source of the problem in both cases.

[Disturbed]

4. Busholini was pushing for 2015 as the Withdraw date.

The Iraqis are not going for 2011 date either.

I tend to believe that if it were up to the Iraqi people, the majority would want the US Occupiers out in a few months.

[Vincardog]

5. the majority would want the US Occupiers out NOW