It isn’t only Iran, Syria and Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr who are dissatisfied with the new U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement now in the hands of the Iraqi National Assembly. According to this scolding editorial from La Jornada of Mexico, there are a good number of people in that country who regard the American presence in that country as an unmitigated disgrace that should end right now.
The La Jornada editorial says in part:
“It’s fitting to recall that the presence of the United States military in Iraq emerged out of a criminal and illegal invasion by the White House and Pentagon, which never had as its objective ‘fighting international terrorism’ or eliminating non-existent weapons of mass destruction, but securing the economic and geostrategic interests of the United States within the region. Those include the opening up of business opportunities for the political and industrial mafia surrounding the still-President George W. Bush. The unjustifiable war launched by the Texas politician over five years ago has substantially worsened global security, has led to the destruction, suffering and destabilization of Iraq and has cost the lives of over 4,000 U.S. soldiers and hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians. Moreover, American troops in Iraq, far from contributing to security and stability, constitute an ongoing grievance to the local population as well as a potential incitement to violence and insecurity in that country.”
EDITORIAL
Translated By Halszka Czarnocka
November 18, 2008
Mexico – La Jornada – Original Article (Spanish)
In Baghdad yesterday [Nov. 17], after months of negotiations, the United States government signed an agreement with the authorities in Iraq which stipulated that the withdrawal of U.S. troops that Washington has deployed for the past five years in that unfortunate Southwest Asian nation will begin by December 31 at the latest. The document further stipulates that U.S. soldiers are guaranteed immunity from the Iraqi courts, except in cases of “serious crimes” committed while off duty or outside military bases.
It’s fitting to recall that the presence of the United States military in Iraq emerged out of a criminal and illegal invasion by the White House and Pentagon, which never had as its objective “fighting international terrorism” or eliminating non-existent weapons of mass destruction, but securing the economic and geostrategic interests of the United States within the region.
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