Bush administration concedes it may not finish US-Iraq deal before Bush leaves office

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is conceding for the first time that the United States may not finish a complex security agreement with Iraq before President Bush leaves office.

Faced with stiff Iraqi opposition, it is "very possible" the U.S. may have to extend an existing U.N. mandate, said a senior administration official close to the talks. That would mean major decisions about how U.S. forces operate in Iraq could be left to the next president, including how much authority the U.S. must give Iraqis over military operations and how quickly the handover takes place.

The official said the goal is still to have an agreement by year's end. And the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said he feels no pressure from the U.S. political calendar, and that Dec. 31 is "a clear deadline."

Still, Crocker also said last week: "My focus on this is more on getting it done right than getting it done quick."



Read more: http://www.startribune.com/nation/19678314.html

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FACTBOX-Iraq's thorny negotiations with U.S.
June 9 (Reuters) - Iraq is in the midst of negotiations with the United States on agreements to provide the legal basis for U.S. troops to remain in the country after December.

WHAT IS BEING NEGOTIATED?

The United States is negotiating two agreements with Iraq.

One, known as a "status of forces" agreement, would provide a legal basis for U.S. troops to stay in Iraq after Dec. 31, when their United Nations mandate expires.

The second, known as a strategic framework agreement, is a broad, long-term agreement on the political, diplomatic, economic and cultural relationship between the two countries.

WHY ARE THE AGREEMENTS NEEDED?

The United Nations mandate authorising the presence of U.S.-led forces in Iraq following the 2003 invasion expires at the end of December.

more:http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSCOL951578

[Demeter]

1. Just Take a Vacation, George. Go visit the Hacienda in Paraguay

We'll take care of everything else. Take Dick with you and we'll cancel your passports and diplomatic immunity.

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Up to my usual standards of incompetence and failure. Smirk." - Commander AWOl

[happygoluckytoyou]

3. hey obama... the last resident left you a bit of a mess... better call the cleaners

[asteroid2003QQ47]

5. The current Pres. has gained valuable knowledge of...

the Middle East. The next President should appoint him to the post
of "Ambassador" to Iraq.
(Think of it as a replay of the Dan Mitrione story (State of Seige))
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Siege

[ohio2007]

4. U.S. seeking 58 bases in Iraq, Shiite lawmakers say

snip

The points that were put forth by the Americans were more abominable than the occupation," said Jalal al Din al Saghir, a leading lawmaker from the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq. "We were occupied by order of the Security Council," he said, referring to the 2004 Resolution mandating a U.S. military occupation in Iraq at the head of an international coalition. "But now we are being asked to sign for our own occupation. That is why we have absolutely refused all that we have seen so far."

snip

The 58 bases would represent an expansion of the U.S. presence here. Currently, the United States operates out of about 30 major bases, not including smaller facilities such as combat outposts, according to a U.S. military map.

snip


U.S. officials in Baghdad say they are determined to complete the accord by July 31 so that parliamentary deliberations can be completed before the Dec. 31 expiration of the UN mandate.

Iraqis are determined to get their nation removed from the purview of the U.N. Security Council under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which allows the international body to declare a country a threat to international peace, a step the U.N. took after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Iraqi officials say that designation clearly is no longer appropriate.

But even on that basic request, the U.S. has not promised to support Iraq, Saghir said, and is instead withholding that support as a pressure point in negotiations.

U.S. demands "conflict with our sovereignty and we refuse them," said Hassan Sneid, a member of the Dawa party and a lawmaker on the security committee in the parliament. "I don't expect these negotiations will be done by the exact date. The Americans want so many things and the fact is we want different things."

"If we had to choose one or the other, an extension of the mandate or this agreement, we would probably choose the extension," Saghir said. "It is possible that in December we will send a letter the UN informing them that Iraq no longer needs foreign forces to control its internal security. As for external defense, we are still not ready."



http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/40372.html


Shia lawmaker says 58 bases wanted by the US ?
US has 30 major bases currently ?

I'll bet somewhere the truth may be the US is wanting 10 major bases and several airfields imo


I doubt deals will ever get done if Iraq lawmakers want to bargain like a camel salesman at the bazaar. The base decision will belong to the next president.