MSNBC.com-

 

Rice: U.S., Iraq close on troop timetable

 

Draft envisions withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq cities by June 30

 

The Associated Press

updated 10:39 a.m. ET, Thurs., Aug. 21, 2008

 

BAGHDAD - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Thursday the two countries have agreed that timetables should be set for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the battle-scarred country.

 

Appearing together at a news conference, Rice and Zebari mutually asserted that a final agreement between Washington and Baghdad on a withdrawal plan and accompanying strategic framework pact is close to fruition ? but not there yet.

 

"We have agreed that some goals, some aspirational timetables for how that might unfold, are well worth having in such an agreement," Rice told reporters after meeting with Iraqi officials, including Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

 

The two sides had come together on a draft agreement earlier this week and Rice made an announced visit to Baghdad to press officials there to complete the accord.

 

Zebari, asked about fears expressed by neighboring countries over such a pact, said in Arabic: "this decision (agreement) is a sovereign one and Iran and other neighboring countries have the right to ask for clarifications. ... There are clear articles (that) say that Iraq will not be used as a launching pad for any aggressive acts against neighboring countries and we already did clarify this."

 

A key part of the U.S.-Iraqi draft agreement envisions the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq's cities by next June 30.

 

A senior U.S. military official in Washington said the deal is acceptable to the U.S. side, subject to formal approval by President Bush. It also requires approval by Iraqi leaders, and some members of Iraq's Cabinet oppose some provisions.

 

Also completed is a companion draft document, known as a strategic framework agreement, spelling out in broad terms the political, security and economic relationships between Iraq and the United States, the senior military official said. The official discussed the draft accords on condition that he not be identified by name because the deals have not been publicly announced and are not final.

 

Specific date

In addition to spelling out that U.S. troops would move out of Iraqi cities by next summer, the Iraqi government has pushed for a specific date ? most likely the end of 2011 ? by which all U.S. forces would depart the country. In the meantime, the U.S. troops would be positioned on bases in other parts of the country to make them less visible while still being able to assist Iraqi forces as needed.

 

There are now about 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

 

U.S. officials have resisted committing firmly to a specific date for a final pullout, insisting that it would be wiser to set a target linked to the attainment of certain agreed-upon goals. These goals would reflect not only security improvements but also progress on the political and economic fronts.

 

The draft agreement must be approved by the Iraqi parliament, which is in recess until early next month.

 

An Iraqi official who was involved in the protracted negotiations said a compromise had been worked out on the contentious issue of whether to provide U.S. troops immunity from prosecution under Iraqi law, but he did not give details.

 

While Iraqi negotiators signed off on the draft, another official close to al-Maliki said the country's political leadership objected to parts of the text, including the immunity provision. He would not elaborate and spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

 

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I hope the Iraqis didn't fold on giving our soldiers complete immunity for crimes, and didn't give up all of the rights to their oil for the next 25 years, like US officials wanted.

I hope the Iraqis didn't fold on giving our soldiers complete immunity for crimes, and didn't give up all of the rights to their oil for the next 25 years, like US officials wanted.

Too late. They already have an agreement with China. :mischief

The Iraqi government is also now chasing after the Sunni leaders of the Awakening despite the US being opposed to it.