While England's closing its Basra Consulate, the US has a figure on the ground, Denis R. McDonough. Barack's Deputy National Security Advisor. All Iraq News reports he and members of his team met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani yesterday. Al Mada adds that the discussions involved Syria, violence and the Strategic Framework Agreement. Al Mada also reports that McDonough met with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and along with discussing those topics, McDonough also stressed the many visits the US government will be making in the coming weeks.
Press TV has an article about alleged renewed interest in Iraq by the campaigns of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. And some might see the meetings as part of that. But there's a reason the White House isn't publicizing the visit or who's on it -- including a key SOFA negotiator from the Bush administration.
SOFA? Strategic Framework Agreement? What was it Tim Arango reported: for the New York Times September 26th? Oh, yeah:
Iraq and the United States are negotiating an agreement that could result in the return of small units of American soldiers to Iraq on training missions. At the request of the Iraqi government, according to General Caslen, a unit of Army Special Operations soldiers was recently deployed to Iraq to advise on counterterrorism and help with intelligence.
That's what the US security delegations are making trips about: the negotiations to send more US troops back into Iraq.
The following community sites -- plus the Los Angeles Times, The Diane Rehm Show, Adam Kokesh, Antiwar.com and C-SPAN -- updated last night and this morning:
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