Iraqi lawmakers on Monday opened debate on a pact with the United States that will allow U.S. forces to remain for three more years, and neighboring Syria criticized the security agreement as a virtual surrender to American interests.
I sure as hell hope so.
More than two-thirds of the 275-seat legislature attended the session, raising confidence that parliament will be able to muster a quorum for the vote on Nov. 24. The Cabinet overwhelmingly approved the security pact on Sunday, meaning the political parties in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s coalition government are expected to have similar success in securing parliamentary support.
Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani ended the session after the text of the agreement was read to lawmakers — the first stage of legislative procedure for adopting bills. Lawmakers will meet again Tuesday.
If parliament approves the deal, President Jalal Talabani and his two deputies must ratify it.
Under the agreement, U.S. forces must vacate Iraqi cities by June, leave Iraq by the end of 2011 and grant Iraqi authorities extensive power over the operations and movements of American forces. The deal would replace a U.N. mandate governing their presence in Iraq that expires Dec. 31.
Of course a terrorist pissant like Mookie Al-Sadr isn’t pleased, nor is the Islamofascist state of Syria.
Sadrists Protest U.S. Security Deal While U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker described the Iraqi Cabinet’s approval of the pact as “historic” at a time when security has improved dramatically, a top Syrian official dismissed the deal as an “award to the occupiers” of the war-devastated country.
“We shouldn’t give occupiers any reward or prize … On the contrary, they should apologize for the damage they have caused,” Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal said in Damascus.
Syria should feel grateful that we don’t occupy their country, all things considered.
Tell you what Bilal, why don’t you apologize for all the beheadings, bombings, ‘honor killings’, and the worldwide campaign of slaughter in the name of Islam?
Iran and Syria, longtime adversaries of Washington, have said an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces would be the best solution for Iraq, fearing threats to their security and regional influence. The Iraqi government sought to allay their fears, amending the security pact to prohibit the Americans from using Iraqi territory to attack neighboring nations.
Translation: Leave so we can re-new our efforts to destroy Iraq’s fledgling democracy.
……(Muqtada) Al-Sadr’s fighters have battled the Americans over the years, but he declared a cease-fire last year and disbanded most of his militia. Al-Sadr, who is based in Iran, has called for a protest in a central Baghdad square on Friday.
More terrorists die from ‘lead poisoning’:
Iraqi forces said they conducted raids in Baqouba, northeast of Baghdad, that resulted in the deaths of five suspected militants, including a Saudi who killed himself by detonating an explosive vest. Three other people, including a Yemeni national, were arrested, said army Lt. Gen. Abdul Karim al-Rubaie, commander of operations in Diyala province.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,453029,00.html
The surrounding Islamic thugocracies aren’t too thrilled about the defeat of their rabid little cockroaches in Iraq and Afghanistan. This war ain’t over by a longshot.