Iraq Wants US Pact Changed

By: IOL

"The cabinet unanimously sought amendments to the text of the pact so it can be acceptable nationally," said Dabbagh. (Reuters)BAGHDAD — Dealing another blow to proposed security pact, the Iraqi government called on Tuesday, October 21, for more changes to the controversial agreement that would govern the stay of US troops beyond the end of thus year.
"The cabinet unanimously sought amendments to the text of the pact so it can be acceptable nationally," Ali al-Dabbagh, a government spokesman, said in a statement.
The government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki convened earlier today to discuss the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which lays the legal basis for US troops presence after the expiry of the UN mandate by the end of this year.
"The cabinet called on the ministers to submit their suggestions to be included in the negotiations with the US," Dabbagh said.
He added that ministers would meet over the coming days to "give their opinions and consult and provide the amendments suggested" before submitting the amended draft to the US negotiating team.
Maliki told the ministers that the deal was unacceptable in its current drafting.
"He made observations on the need for further changes, because he wants to market it," the participant told the Washington Post on condition of anonymity.
Iraqi and US negotiators recently finalized the text of the agreement, which was expected to have been sealed by the end of July.
The cabinet must approve the draft before it can be sent to the 275-member parliament.
The ruling United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), a powerhouse coalition of mostly Shiite groups including Maliki's Dawa party, is pressing for more changes to the text.
The 30 MPs loyal to influential Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr have already declared opposition to the agreement.
The majority of Sunni lawmakers have also spoken out against the pact, seen to be mainly endorsed by the two main Kurdish parties.
Reluctant

"The consequences of not having a SOFA and of not having a renewed UN authorization are pretty dramatic in terms of consequences for our actions," Gates said.
US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warned Tuesday of dramatic consequences of not concluding the deal.
"The consequences of not having a SOFA and of not having a renewed UN authorization are pretty dramatic in terms of consequences for our actions," he told reporters.
A similar warning was made a day earlier by Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"We are clearly running out of time," he said, adding that the Iraqi military lacks the ability to bring about security when the UN mandate expires on December 31.
"And in that regard there is great potential for losses of significant consequence."
While the US State Department is publicly insisting the draft is a final version, senior officials are not ruling out the possibility of renegotiating parts of the deal.
A senior US official, who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity, cited Iraqi objections to the language on jurisdiction for US troops, the troop pullout dates and the conditions for troop pullout.
According to the draft deal, American troops should pull from Baghdad and other towns by 2009 and leave the country by 2011, unless asked to stay by the Iraqi government.
Baghdad is seeking the power to arrest and try Americans accused of crimes not related to official military operations, plus jurisdiction over troops and contractors who commit major crimes in the course of their duties.
Under the draft, US forces or contractors who commit "major and premeditated murders" while off duty and outside US facilities would fall under Iraqi jurisdiction.
All other crimes -- and murders committed inside US facilities or by on-duty forces -- would fall under American jurisdiction.
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has ruled the possibility of pushing the deal through parliament before the White House elections.
"It is unlikely that the Iraqi parliament will approve the SOFA before the American presidential election on November 4," he said.
"Because of the differences among the political groups, we don't believe the deal will be approved now."