BAGHDAD, Oct. 7, 2008
U.S. Nears Deal To Keep Troops In Iraq
But Iraq's Foreign Minister Cautions "Bold Political Decisions" Needed To Finalize Agreement
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U.S. Army soldiers from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment are seen through the haze of burning trash as they patrol with their replacements from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Baqouba, Iraq, Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
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A U.S. Army soldier from Ironhawk Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, patrols in Mosul, 224 miles northwest of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Oct. 3, 2008. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
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Photo Essay Week In Iraq Photos A daily diary with scenes of the latest attacks and snapshots from the effort to rebuild a nation.
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari made the comments to reporters at a press conference with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
Zebari said the two sides were "very close" to an agreement to replace the U.N. mandate that expires this year.
But he added that the issue needs "some bold political decisions." He said he expected "hectic political meetings here in Baghdad" to determine the fate of the agreement.
Meanwhile, a top Iranian military official urged Iraq to reject the proposed U.S.-Iraqi security deal, calling the agreement a "disgrace."
Gen. Masoud Jazayeri's comments came Tuesday as Iraq's parliamentary speaker arrived in Tehran to discuss the deal and as Zebari spoke with Negroponte in Baghdad.
Iran, which is close to Shiite parties who dominate Iraq's government, has repeatedly expressed its opposition to any security deal that allows American forces to remain in neighboring Iraq. Tehran contends that the American presence is the cause of instability in Iraq and the region.
"The Iraqi people won't be deceived by propaganda and the psychological warfare launched by the U.S. and its allies to pressure the Iraqi government to approve the security deal," Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff at the Iranian armed forces, said in a statement Tuesday.
"Undoubtedly, the Iraqi leaders are careful of any mischief in this regard and won't allow Iraqi history to be stained with such a disgrace," Jazayeri said.
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker accused Iran last month of blocking the deal, saying a steady stream of public statements from clerical and political figures in Tehran make it clear that Iran is interfering in the bilateral negotiations between Iraq and the United States.
On Tuesday, Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani told the Iranian news agency IRNA he would discuss the proposed deal with Iranian officials during his Tehran visit. No reports are yet available on the details of the talks.
Al-Mashhadani, a Sunni, arrived in Tehran Tuesday using an Iranian plane, a day after his Iraqi plane was initially turned away. Iranian officials said the type of the plane was the reason for not being granted permission to land in Tehran, but they did not elaborate.
Washington and Baghdad have been negotiating for months on the agreement, which would set the terms for the future U.S. presence in Iraq for years to come. A main sticking point has been the issue of legal immunity for U.S. troops under Iraqi law.
Iran's hard-line newspapers have said the U.S.-cooked deal would "turn Iraq into a full-fledged colony" and have urged Iraqis to oppose the proposed deal.
Supporters of popular Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr - who is close to Iran - oppose the accord, arguing that U.S. forces should leave Iraq as soon as possible. Earlier this year, an Iraqi delegation visited Iran to convince Iranian officials to halt their alleged support for Sadr's Mahdi Army militia and urge Tehran not to publicly oppose the deal.
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 57 CommentsShameful.
What have you done for this country? Social scientists have a category for people like you. Look it up. They are named "Right Wing Authoritarian". Blindly following authority is one of their characteristics. They have little ability to think for themselves.
"Volunteer and draft options will likely be utilized in times of conflict, as was originally intended by the framers of the Constitution," says Nuesbalm. "All this decision means in the overview is that the U.S. will no longer have access to military solutions as a first recourse. I see it as a healthy move, toward peaceful relations with other nations and more meaningful diplomacy."
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Posted by TangoUniforn at 04:45 PM
When the war is completely won, and the Iraqi''''s can control their country, we''''ll pull out, but not sooner
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Posted by JoeCoolSwat1 at 05:58 PM : Oct 07, 2008
+ report abuse
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This comment is another one of non answers so typical of this group of neo-cons. How will you know when Iraqis are able to control their country?
No need to be there? we need to be there, to finish and win the war....we are very close to victory, to pull out now at the very end would be disasterous
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Posted by JoeCoolSwat1 at 05:57 PM : Oct 07, 2008
+ report abuse
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Please, please tell me how you define "wining". Do you plan on signing a peace treaty to show the end of the conflict? If so, with whom are you going to sign it? Is it when no one in Iraq hate us? As long as there are any Iraqi left that remember the invasion, they are going to hate us. We could eliminate every Iraqi in Iraq. That way there would be no Iraqis in that country to hate us and will us ill. Of course there would be a lot of people in the world that would hate us. So please tell me how it will end.
BTB most of my adult life I spent voting republican. After reading the lack of intelligence exhibited by this generation of republicans, I regret every vote for them that I made.
Over 4,150 US military died on Iraqi soil, over 1,000,000 more Iraqis dead than would have died because of our presence there. Remember "thou shalt not kill".
Posted by TangoUniforn at 04:54 PM : Oct 07, 2008
This is something I saved from a time ago, it might fit here:
"Suppose Hillary Clinton and John Edwards'' new position was their position back then, that it was a mistake to take him out," Giuliani said, referring to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. "Wouldn''t we be dealing with Saddam Hussein becoming nuclear right now? If Iran was becoming nuclear what would he be doing? Sitting there letting his arch enemy gain nuclear power over him? Or would we now be dealing with two countries seeking to become nuclear powers."
"Volunteer and draft options will likely be utilized in times of conflict, as was originally intended by the framers of the Constitution," says Nuesbalm. "All this decision means in the overview is that the U.S. will no longer have access to military solutions as a first recourse. I see it as a healthy move, toward peaceful relations with other nations and more meaningful diplomacy."
Posted by Bigtaco10
There is nothing on this Earth More Full of Hate For America than Democrats. The country we "Invaded" was ruled by a Genocidal Dictator for 30 years who killed a million of his own people. Now, the troops on the ground say, the IRAQI people are worried about what will happen to them when the American Troops leave. The only people who universally hate The American Troops are Terrorists and Democrats.
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Posted by demslie2u at 11:05 AM : Oct 07, 2008
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This post is one of the most asinine I have ever read. I am voteing with the democrates now because of the terrible things the republicans neo-cons have done to this country. When N. Korea invaded S. Korea, I volunteered to fight for this country because I believed that we were at risk. Now for you or anyone else to tell me that I do not love this country is one of the lowest comments that I can imagine. What do you think gives you the right to question the love of anyone except your own self?
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Posted by obanau4 at 11:35 AM : Oct 07, 2008
+ report abuse
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Please, please tell me how you define "wining". Do you plan on signing a peace treaty to show the end of the conflict? If so, with whom are you going to sign it? Is it when no one in Iraq hate us? As long as there are any Iraqi left that remember the invasion, they are going to hate us. We could eliminate every Iraqi in Iraq. That way there would be no Iraqis in that country to hate us and will us ill. Of course there would be a lot of people in the world that would hate us. So please tell me how it will end.
If experience counts for anything the Iraqi people realize they have more to fear from an Iranian presence than the US presence. Al Quida & Iran will pluck away at what is left of the bones of a defeated Iraqi government if the US is forced out too early.
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If Bush and the neo-cons had left Saddam alone there would not be an Iranian nor Iraqi problem now. The fact that Saddam is gone is a good thing but the price that we and the Iraqis are paying it too great.
Over 4,150 US military died on Iraqi soil, over 1,000,000 more Iraqis dead than would have died because of our presence there. Remember "thou shalt not kill".
Keep hacking away at an agreement Bush!
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Iraq IS under Shia control, why do you think that the Sunnis are upset?
Time to get the hell out!
Guess our troops will be showered with flowers and songs soon...
Hmmm....
What is more important to this administration?
''Deals'' in Iraq or our economy?
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