Topic: Iraq
Iraq Demands US Troops Leave by 2011 The unending Global War of Terror occupation in Iraq hits a minor roadbump. What if the Iraqis have fully recovered from Shock and Awe and want their country back?by Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution
(libertarian)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
BAGHDAD, IRAQ - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has notified George Bush that the Iraq government will seek to renegiotiate the standing military pact between the two nations. Per CNN, this agreement mandates that all American troops be withdrawn from Iraqi cities and villages by July 30, 2009, and leave the country entirely by December 31, 2011. The Washington Post reports that Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, said, ""Personally, I'm doubtful it will pass." Barzani stated he believes the country is "in a situation of intellectual terrorism, where people are not able to state their real positions" for fear of appearing too close to the United States, or in some cases Iran, and of undercutting their standing in provincial elections scheduled for January. The new terms also seek US agreement to not use Iraq as a base for striking other nations, such as the preemptive American helicopter foray into Syria that killed eight (8) people last week.
The demand for American troops to leave is nothing new from the Iraqi people; they have desired American troops to leave their country for years. For instance, in 2006 this survey found that 71% wanted the US to leave within a year, and 61% approved of attacks on the American and other NATO occupying forces. Even if Iraqi politicians are coerced by whatever means by the Americans, they fully understand the severity of disapproval they will receive if they do not at least appear to be anti-American.
To come to a consensus, both the Iraqi and US governments must sign a military pact known as status-of-forces agreement, or SOFA, before December 31st. For Iraq, this entails passing their cabinet by a two-thirds majority, then approval by parliament. For the United States, all of the news articles neglected to mention the exact process, but per the Constitution of the United States, Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2, the President must approve and submit to the Senate for two-thirds approval.
Per the UK's Times Online, if a consensus is not reached would force Iraq to resort to asking the Security Council for an emergency extension of the mandate to buy more time. It is speculated from other news sources that a grinning Putin is patiently waiting with his veto stamp, imprinted with "From South Ossetia, With Love."
Other news from Iraq, the land where "the Surge has worked."
On 10/21, Mowaffak Merhi, the director of Iraq's largest oil refinery was assassinated by insurgent gunfire as he was commuting to work.
On 10/21, seven mortar rounds landed on a residential area in southwestern Baghdad at dinnertime, wounding five civilians.
On 10/21, a roadside bombing near an Iraqi army checkpoint near Al-Mustansiriya Square in eastern Baghdad wounded four people, including one Iraqi soldier.
On 10/28, six civilians died and 23 were hurt in four separate bombings in Baghdad.
The UN reports that 13,000 Iraqi Christians have fled the northern city of Mosul in October due to a series of murders and intimidation. Many attempted to go to Syria but returned, saying they no longer felt safe there. Syria already hosts more than 1 million displaced Iraqis in refugee camps, and was raided by an American special forces foray last week.
This also brings up a rather silly point with respect to the major party candidate on Tuesday, McBama. While Senator Obama has hemmed and hawed about what amounts to a partial-withdrawal-then-redeployment-to-Afghanistan plan, Senator McCain has at least been very clear, stating his intentions to remain rooted in Iraq for a hundred years if necessary. However, it is striking that the candidates in all their hubris have never contemplated what if the Iraqis want all Americans out? It will be interesting to see how these candidates react to this plea for self-determination, although McBush is still in the official driver's seat until January.
The US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, also told a US newspaper that the lack of a legal basis would mean "we do nothing - no security training, no logistical support, no border protection, no training, equipping, manning checkpoints, no nothing" come January 1st. Of course this is the proper legal act (better yet, leave and just come home!), but to me smacks a little of blackmail to force the Iraqis to agree prior to year's end. However, such is the tangled spiderwebs of interventionalism and occupying armies, many are the double-edged decisions that cut both ways.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
As always, unlike the NFL, the author grants full permission to allow any accounts of, rebroadcasts, retransmissions, repostings in part or full of this article to your blog or anywhere else in order to promote the Restoration of our Republic.
Veritas numquam perit. Veritas odit moras. Veritas vincit. Truth never perishes. Truth hates delay. Truth conquers.
(Photo source1source2) (In regards to copyright use of Great Seal of the United States, this message is certainly in no way sponsored or approved by the Government of the United States. The Iraqi coat of arms displays the pan-Arabic golden eagle of Saladin.)
Police State Stomps on Iraq Veteran's Face as McBama Sanctions Attack on Freedom of Speech: The Story of the Hempstead 15 (Part 1/3) Published: October 25, 2008 What? Yet another event the media completely missed? After multiple attempts to engage McBama to answer their questions, the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) led a peaceful march on the last McCain-Obama Presidential Debate and were met with 30 mounted police and a horde of others in riot gear. The mounted police stamped on an Iraq war veteran's face and attacked the crowd. Ron Paul supporter and veteran Adam Kokesh was arrested as well.
Can Barack Obama Be President? - THE SAGA CONTINUES! (10/29 Update) Published: October 29, 2008 Senator Barack Obama wins a temporary delay in the court system but has yet to prove in a court of law that he is constitutionally eligible to be President of the United States
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BAGHDAD, IRAQ - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has notified George Bush that the Iraq government will seek to renegiotiate the standing military pact between the two nations. 
This also brings up a rather silly point with respect to the major party candidate on Tuesday, McBama. While Senator Obama has hemmed and hawed about what amounts to a partial-withdrawal-then-redeployment-to-Afghanistan plan, Senator McCain has at least been very clear, stating his intentions to remain rooted in Iraq for a hundred years if necessary. However, it is striking that the candidates in all their hubris have never contemplated what if the Iraqis want all Americans out? It will be interesting to see how these candidates react to this plea for self-determination, although McBush is still in the official driver's seat until January.