US to stay in Iraq

Upton · #1 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 03:01 PM

What a surprise, a lot of us were saying they were never going to leave, looks like they never are.

Quote:

US pledges long-term presence in Iraq

Monday November 26, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

The Bush administration today formally committed America to a long-term military presence in Iraq by entering into a strategic partnership with the authorities in Baghdad.

President George Bush and the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, signed an agreement to begin negotiating on future military, economic and diplomatic cooperation during a video conference this morning, the White House said.

The declaration of principles, which is not binding, will set the agenda for a future American relationship with Iraq, Bush's coordinator on Iraq and Afghanistan, General Douglas Lute, told reporters at the White House today.

"The two negotiating teams, Iraq and the United States, now have a common sheet of music with which to begin the negotiations," Lute said.

He offered few details on the scale of the future US military commitment to Iraq in terms of troop levels or permanent US bases.

He noted that the agreement, because it was not a treaty, would not be subject to oversight by Congress.

"What we expect this to do is provide a bilateral mandate ... for the continued presence and mission of US troops," Lute said.

"What US troops are doing, how many troops are required to do that, are bases required, which partners will join them, all these things are on the table."

The Associated Press reported from Baghdad that the proposal would give America preferential treatment for investments in Iraq - a potential bonanza for oil companies - in return for long-term security guarantees, including defence against internal coups.

Today's agreement was announced as Maliki indicated he intended to seek the renewal of the UN security council mandate for Iraq for one more year when it expires in December.

The agreement has been in the works since last August, when the Maliki government officially requested the long-term strategic relationship with Washington.

The public unveiling of the proposed arrangement today arrives at a time when the administration has been trying to showcase recent improvements in security in Iraq following the deployment of an additional 30,000 US forces at the beginning of the year.

Some of those forces are scheduled to begin leaving Iraq by the end of this year following the drop in violence. The rest are due to be withdrawn by the summer of 2008, although there has been little sign of the political reconciliation which was the main objective of the surge strategy.

Instead, the administration today appeared to be urging Americans to look to the summer of 2008 when American and Iraqi negotiators hope to produce a broader agreement on their partnership.

The timetable for negotiations indicated by Lute would see the state department open negotiations early next year. That all but ensures that Iraq will dominate next year's presidential elections.

US pledges long-term presence in Iraq | Iraq | Guardian Unlimited

Heckler · #2 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 03:22 PM

We'll stay until the oil fields are pumped dry anyway.......

I don't think that is going to take forever......

gixaholic · #3 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 07:52 PM

IBDeditorials.com: Editorials, Political Cartoons, and Polls from Investor's Business Daily -- Iraq Says Stay

Winning The War: One of the most effective rhetorical arguments thrown at supporters of the war in Iraq has been that Iraqis don't even want us there. But the truth is they do — and badly.

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According to the Associated Press, Iraq's government will soon ask the U.S. to keep troops in that country long-term to guarantee its security against terrorists and predatory neighboring states such as Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
It's all part of a new "strategic partnership" between the U.S. and Iraq, according to what the AP described as two "senior Iraq officials" from different political parties.

The Iraqis also will ask that the United Nations end its involvement inside the country, go home and wrap up its role in deciding Iraq's fate — a job it has had since the first Gulf War in 1991. The U.N.'s official mandate expires next year.

All this is good news, both for Iraq and the U.S.

For Iraq, it means long-term stability for its democratically elected government and its successors; for the U.S., we gain a permanent presence in the Middle East from which to defend our interests. Both are vital for our security.

Iraq has even hinted, without saying so explicitly, that it will give the U.S. a piece of its oil pie — its reserves of 115 billion barrels are the world's fourth-largest — in exchange for helping to protect it.

Still Dizzy · #4 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heckler

We'll stay until the oil fields are pumped dry anyway.......

I don't think that is going to take forever......

Like we did with Japan's, and Germany's oil?

sotmfs · #5 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 08:49 PM

We brought democracy to Iraq. Now Iraq can be free under U.S. rule.
It would be interesting to have a true vote by the Iraqi people on the U.S. staying in their country.
Agreement with the authorities in Baghdad -the elected government?

Upton · #6 (**permalink**) 11-26-2007, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gixaholic

For Iraq, it means long-term stability for its democratically elected government and its successors; for the U.S., we gain a permanent presence in the Middle East from which to defend our interests. Both are vital for our security.

Iraq has even hinted, without saying so explicitly, that it will give the U.S. a piece of its oil pie — its reserves of 115 billion barrels are the world's fourth-largest — in exchange for helping to protect it.

Translation: puppet government kept in power by US force.. US oil companies line their pockets.