In addition to coverage of the terrorist attack on Mumbai as it pertains to the United States, WORLDMEETS.US is continuing our Iraqi coverage of the U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement – or as it is called in Iraq, the “U.S. Withdrawal Agreement.”
According to this article from the Al Iraq News, despite the overwhelming vote in Iraq’s National Assembly in favor of the deal (149 to 35) on Thursday, there is no shortage of people expressing their dissatisfaction.
One such person quoted in the article, speaker of the Association of Muslim Scholars, Muthanna Al Dari, says that the National Assembly approved the deal to ‘protect the present government, since it fears Iraq’s people and hence an American withdrawal.’ He also said that the agreement enshrines the idea that American forces are friendly, which means that there will be no withdrawal, which he complains is the opposite of what the government has asserted, namely that all U.S. forces with pull out by 2011.
Translated By Nicolas Dagher
November 27, 2008
Iraq – Al-Iraq News – Original Article (Arabic)
The passing of the U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement by the National Assembly stirred anger among many political figures and parties, who consider the deal a shameful sign that Iraqi legislators are Iraqi in name only, and that they have repeatedly proven this by their actions.
The speaker of the Association of Muslim Scholars, Muthanna Al Dari, said that the Assembly approved the agreement to protect the present government, since it fears Iraq’s people and hence an American withdrawal. He also said that the agreement, the details of which have yet to be revealed to Iraq’s people, enshrines the idea that American forces are friendly, which means that there will be no withdrawal. This is the opposite of what the government has asserted, namely that all U.S. forces with pull out by 2011.
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