RK ARCHIVE - Iraqi Ballet

Iraqi Ballet

By: Teddy
Published On: 11/24/2008 1:22:10 AM

The Status of Forces Agreement is ready for approval by the Iraqi Parliament, and it appears that the votes are there to approve it. President Bush has pushed for its approval because, as we have been told, the UN Resolution authorizing the presence of Coalition armed forces in Iraq runs out at the end of this year; he also wants this out of the way before transfer of power to President-elect Obama. It is Mr. Bush's contention that the SOFA (Status of Forces) agreement does not require similar approval by the American Congress---- another example of Mr. Bush's expanded unitary executive powers; there are those who disagree with Mr. Bush. As it happens, there is substantial disapproval of the agreement in Iraq as well, and thousands of Iraqis, supporters of al-Sadr, took to the streets in a peaceful demonstration against the SOFA, protesting the continued presence of American military in Iraq for at least two more years. The demonstrators placed an effigy of Bush symbolically on the pedestal of Sadam's old statue, and the conclusion of their prayer meeting pulled it down and burned it. They also compared Maliki to Sadam. Here's an eyewitness report of the demonstration from The RealNews.com (excuse the request for a donation at the end, please). Analysts are concerned that al-Sadr wuill call off his ceasefire if the SOFA is passed. It was in fact that ceasefire which ensured whatever success the Surge achieved in reducing violence, especially in Baghdad.

There are also some ominous signs that the Kurds are preparing for the departure of American forces, as well. There are reports that the Kurds have just completed the purchase of a substantial number of arms from the Bulgarians. Is this, like the al-Sadr demonstration, evidence simply of defensive planning, or is it evidence of a, shall we say, more pro-active planning with malice aforethought?

Comments

Other stuff is going on (Teddy - 11/24/2008 1:27:28 AM)

besides our financial and economic agony, and it behooves us not to be so pre-occupied with our private problems that we let things elsewhere escape our notice. I wonder if Congress is going to let the SOFA slip by, unremarked, thus reinforcing Bush's continued accretion of executive power? I wonder if we are seeing the foundations being laid for an escalation of violence in Iraq, which can be laid at the feet of the new Administration once Bush skips out of town? The United States is going to be in a vulnerable position during the transition period.