Politics
Iraq: Kurds and Sadrists differ over three-year US troop stay
Baghdad, 17 Nov. (AKI) - The Iraqi cabinet's approval on Sunday of a bilateral security pact allowing United States troops to remain in the country for three more years has been met with a mixed reaction from the country's Kurdish and radical Shia- forces. The Kurdish Alliance has expressed satisfaction over the pact, which must still be approved by the Iraqi government.
"We welcome the cabinet's unanimous approval of the pact with Washington, which we consider an excellent indication of the satisfaction of all political parties over its contents," Kurdish Alliance MP Abd al-Bari Zebari told Adnkronos International (AKI).
Zebari underlined the "positive" atmosphere in the Parliament in a debate over the security pact, which he said showed "a consensus amongst political forces".
However the Sadrist bloc of MPs in the Parliament has announced it will oppose the pact, which it has described as a "dangerous development".
"We will firmly oppose the ratification of this accord and will push for a requirement of two-thirds of MPs to vote in favour for the law to pass," Sadrist MP and parliamentary bloc's spokesman Ahmad al-Massoudi told AKI.
The Sadrist bloc and other political forces will adopt a "decisive" stance against the Parliament's ratification of the pact, al-Massoudi warned. "Worryingly, a number of ministers were not present at the cabinet vote, meaning the pact was not approved unanimously," he said.
Another wild card will be the Sunni parties, who could decide to abstain during a parliamentary vote on the pact.
Iraqi government's spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Sunday that the final draft of the pact had been approved unanimously by the cabinet.
The pact foresees the first drawing-down of troops next June, he said.
The withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq would be completed by 31 December, 2011.
On the thorny issue of immunity from prosecution of US soldiers, the pact required US troops who commit crimes outside their bases to be prosecuted under Iraqi law.
US law will apply to those soldiers who commit crimes inside their bases, al-Dabbagh said.
"We welcome the cabinet's unanimous approval of the pact with Washington, which we consider an excellent indication of the satisfaction of all political parties over its contents," Kurdish Alliance MP Abd al-Bari Zebari told Adnkronos International (AKI).
Zebari underlined the "positive" atmosphere in the Parliament in a debate over the security pact, which he said showed "a consensus amongst political forces".
However the Sadrist bloc of MPs in the Parliament has announced it will oppose the pact, which it has described as a "dangerous development".
"We will firmly oppose the ratification of this accord and will push for a requirement of two-thirds of MPs to vote in favour for the law to pass," Sadrist MP and parliamentary bloc's spokesman Ahmad al-Massoudi told AKI.
The Sadrist bloc and other political forces will adopt a "decisive" stance against the Parliament's ratification of the pact, al-Massoudi warned. "Worryingly, a number of ministers were not present at the cabinet vote, meaning the pact was not approved unanimously," he said.
Another wild card will be the Sunni parties, who could decide to abstain during a parliamentary vote on the pact.
Iraqi government's spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Sunday that the final draft of the pact had been approved unanimously by the cabinet.
The pact foresees the first drawing-down of troops next June, he said.
The withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq would be completed by 31 December, 2011.
On the thorny issue of immunity from prosecution of US soldiers, the pact required US troops who commit crimes outside their bases to be prosecuted under Iraqi law.
US law will apply to those soldiers who commit crimes inside their bases, al-Dabbagh said.
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