New Iraqi Govt Can't Expel U.S. Troops

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040513/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_transition&cid=542&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON - The new Iraqi government won't have the authority to evict American forces from Iraq (news - web sites), a top State Department official said Thursday — quickly reversing a statement made minutes earlier before a House panel.


The conflicting exchanges with Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman at a House hearing reflected the difficult balance the U.S. government is trying to strike as it moves closer to the June 30 handover of power to an as-yet unnamed interim Iraqi government.


The United States needs to convince Iraqis that they will have full sovereignty and are no longer under occupation. But they also need to convince them that U.S. forces aren't leaving anytime soon. They say if Iraqis believe the Americans will abandon them, they would be less likely to cooperate with U.S. forces or a U.S.-backed Iraqi government.


When first asked by House International Relations Committee members whether an interim Iraqi government could force U.S. troops to leave, Grossman stressed that Iraqi leaders wanted them to remain. He also said that the Iraqi interim constitution and a U.N. resolution gave them authority to do so.

more...Ah, Democracy.

[frank frankly]

1. whoOooOOOps!

what a shock! we've only known this for 20+ months.

[Karenina]

2. Status of Forces Agreement, anyone?

[BeHereNow]

3. Oh Come ON KARENINA!

That is SO "Old Century America."
We are now PAX Americana in the NEW American Century!
Get with it babe, PNAC fascist arm bands for all!
BHN

[Karenina]

17. USA! USA!! USA!!!

:cry:

[Zhade]

26. Your son was wise to leave, Karenina. He knows the deal.

Wish I could leave myself!

By the way, tell him that his friends hope he's doing well.

[mulethree]

11. anyone seen one? would love to read it

[Just Me]

13. Another "shock and awe" by PNAC central.

They never intended to leave,...at least not until their 40 year WW(IV) ended.

Geez.

[Minstrel Boy]

4. Enjoy your freedom, Iraqistanians!

It's like new, straight from the Warsaw Pact. Only slightly used by Czechs during the Velvet Revolution. Try it on for size!

[daleo]

5. If they don't have the authority to expel U.S. forces

Then they don't have any real authority at all. The occupation will continue under a (slightly) different name, that is all. Of course that will be no surprise to most people, at least around here.

[TahitiNut]

6. Funny definition of "sovereignty" we seem to be using, huh?

These lying fucks don't seem to give a shit what they say. :puke:

[hatrack]

7. Introducing Iraqi Freedom Lite!

Looks Great!

Less Filling!

All the great PR value and pizzazz of Freedom without all that pesky, caloric Representative Democracy!!

Rummy sez - "You'll LOVE it!"

[TeeYiYi]

18. Looks like a pump — feels like a sneaker. ...n/t

TYY :7

[htuttle]

8. Lakhdar Brahimi disagrees

From yesterday:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=550859&mesg_id=550859

Speaking to Powell's 'Limited Sovereignty' ideas:

Brahimi said the UN had criticized use of this expression and insisted authorities at any country should always be in the hands of the people with no exception. The envoy added the new Iraqi government shall also decide the fate of 150,000 foreign military officers currently in Iraq.

So, didn't the pResident say Brahimi was going to work out the transition?

[Kagemusha]

9. He didn't say Brahimi would have the final say.

Just that he'd work out the details. Not that they would be accepted.

Jack Straw said something similar, that Iraq would have veto power. (Brit deputy PM, foreign secretary.) He's being similarly disowned on this point I do believe.

[denverbill]

10. So what?

Just because they can't expel our troops, install a theocracy, publish a newspaper critical of the US, or be anti-Israel doesn't mean they don't have full sovereignty. Oh, I almost forgot, they probably can't have WMD either. Hmm. They probably can't order advanced military equipment either.

However, if they have a problem with their neighbor's dog, they can solve it totally free of US interference!

[David__77]

12. Their "army" will have water pistols I hear.

Also, they will have a "Model UN" in which aspiring young politicians can participate in. Their generals will have many shiny medals too...

[Kagemusha]

14. So let me get this straight...

If Iraq asks the US to leave, will it leave?

"Yes."

"No."

Looks like that's our straight answer.

Or perhaps...

To Congress: "Yes."

To Iraq: "No."

Perhaps this makes more sense?

[Mountainman]

15. This will put Bush further in the hole

The American people will see through this also.

Take the 27 reasons for going into Iraq and add 28. We are there to protect their freedom from their neighbors. Just you wait.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

16. Platt Amendment, anyone?

Seems like that, a bit.

[Say_What]

19. Major Military Bases World-Wide

The occupiers remain forever, check Germany... and these are just the major ones.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/sites.htm

[Say_What]

20. World Map of US Military Bases--Welcome to the Roman Empire

Interesting stats:
46 countries without bases
196 countries WITH bases
63 countries with bases and troops
7 countries with 13 NEW bases and troops since 9/11

Download your very own copy at this website.

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=884

[NNN0LHI]

21. kick

[leQ]

22. kerry should use this in an ad side by side with bu$h's lies about

being on both sides of the issue.

[salin]

23. a couple of things

Powell and Bremer's comments weren't about whether the Iraqi interim govt could "force" the US out - it was whether the US troops would leave if the new government "asked" them to leave. So the answer doesn't quite respond to Powell or Bremer's comments.

Second, in several places I have read comments like this.. the Iraqi leaders want us to stay.... ER there haven't been elections - doesn't this give even further lie to the "self-determination" of the IRaqi's if we already know who the leaders will be after the elections? They are getting careless in their choice of language.

[AspenRose]

24. I smell a flip-flop!

We need to get the hell out of there.

[struggle4progress]

25. flippity floppity flippity floppity: a new story every day! eom

[Hobarticus]

27. So, we really are "invaders", and not "liberators",then?

Can we just drop the pretense and BS and call a spade a spade?