Iraqi politicians say they have put aside for the time being any plans to push for a referendum on the U.S.-Iraqi security pact governing the American troop pullout here.
The threat of a referendum had clouded U.S. withdrawal plans. If Iraqi voters were given a chance to vote on the deal some U.S. officials feared they would reject it, forcing an accelerated U.S. withdrawal.
Military officials have said they will comply with any quicker withdrawal in the case of a "no" vote in a referendum. The flagging momentum for a referendum now, however, eases pressure on U.S. commanders.
The above is from Gina Chon's "Iraq Vote on Pullout Put on Back Burner" (Wall St. Journal) when the Iraqi Parliament voted on the treaty masquerading as a Status Forces Agreement (Thanksgiving Day 2008), those who voted (many skipped the vote due to the vote's controversial nature) were told there would be a referendum in six months on the matter. Six months came and went. As late as May, some foolish gas bags were stating the vote would take place in June or July. Forgetting all that's needed before any vote can take place. The vote wasn't happening. Nouri al-Maliki, thug of the occupation, declared it would take place in January 2010 along with the planned national elections. More lies.
More lies and the lies never end. This is a huge slap in the face to the Iraqi Parliament, to the Iraqi people and to the democratic process. But it's also more than that. Business Week runs Sameer N. Yacoub's AP story where Iraq's Parliament notes that there will be no vote on the draft oil law. That's not much of a surprise. US Ambassador to Iraq Chris Hill told Congress that last month.
It's among the issues causing tension (to put it mildly) between Hill and Gen Ray Odierno, top US commander in Iraq. But grasp that NOTHING has happened. All this time later, NOTHING has happened.
This community opposes the oil draft law which we see as the theft of Iraqi oil.
But what is taking place?
Elections are (supposedly) being held. And?
And?
Elections were held in 2005.
What's been accomplished since? (Provincial elections were held in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces in January 2009 and in 3 more in July of 2009 -- but these are the first national elections since 2005).
Congress demanded measurements, metrics. In 2007, the then-administration came up with a series of benchmarks. Nouri agreed to them and signed off on them. The benchmarks were never met.
These benchmarks became 'confusing' because the press (and the the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction) began measuring them 'partially" as if that was the point.
No, that was never the point.
The benchmark says you will ___ then you do ___.
You moved an inch when you were supposed to travel a mile? Well, let's give you a smiley face sticker if it makes you feel better but let's not pretend that you've accomplished your benchmark.
Those benchmarks were not open-ended. They were supposed to be met.
It's two years later and they have not been met.
It's two years later and why are US forces still there?
No, they shouldn't have been sent there to begin with. Yes, the Iraq War is an illegal war.
But the 'excuse' for it was that the (US installed) Iraqis were moving forward.
In 2005, they had national elections. In 2010, they're supposed to hold national elections again. And what's been accomplished between the two?
It's no longer just Nouri disrespecting US forces stationed in Iraq. As noted in the last entry, you now have US forces being disrespected to their faces.
The escalation ("surge") was sold as a way to buy time for political movement. No political movement took place. How long are US forces going to have to remain on the ground for the US-installed puppet government of exiles in Iraq?
AFP quotes MP Ali Hussein Balo stating, "There is no agreement on the contents of the oil law . . . because this government wants the management of the oil sector to be centralized. Due to these conflicts, we have decided to delay the oil law enactment until after the eleciton."
As Chris Hill stated.
We're told the 'problems' in Iraq are political not military. So why is the military remaining on the ground in Iraq month after month when the US-installed puppets are in no hurry to move?
It's past time for all US forces to leave Iraq.
The violence continues, Fadhil al-Badrani, Tim Cocks and Angus MacSwan (Reuters) report a Falluja suicide bomber took his own life and the lives of "at least six mourners" in a funeral tent with at least fifteen more people left injured.
Bonnie notes that Kat's "Kat's Korner: Combo is the answer" went up Sunday as did Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Dream Team Take Two." The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
sameer n. yacoub
fadhil al-badrani
tim cocks
angus mcswan
the world today just nuts
kats korner
