LA Times: Iraqi leaders may ask U.N. to restrict U.S. military

[TwilightGardener]

By Christian Berthelsen, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
11:48 AM PDT, October 22, 2007

BAGHDAD -- Party leaders in the Iraqi parliament said today that they were setting up a committee to examine the continuing U.S. military presence in Iraq with an eye toward possibly restricting American activities, as the backlash continued over a U.S. raid Sunday in which the Iraqi government said 13 civilians were killed.

Before the end of the year, the United Nations is expected to take up its annual review of a Security Council resolution that authorizes the U.S. military presence in Iraq.

Iraqi leaders say the U.S. used too much force in responding to attacks on troops in Sunday's Sadr City raid and other incidents, leading to the deaths of civilians, and that they have not coordinated enough with Iraqi forces.

The military said it killed 49 alleged criminals in the incident and was unaware of any civilian casualties. But journalists for Western news organizations, including The Times, saw the bodies of two children at Imam Ali Hospital who were killed in the attack, and interviewed other children who were wounded.

The committee, to be made up of representatives from various political parties, is to meet Oct. 31 and make recommendations on any limitations Iraq should seek in the U.N. resolution.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq23oct23,0,5216734.story?coll=la-home-world

(Apologies if this has already been posted--seems like an important development).