Iraq Seeks Security Pact Rewrites, Right To Try American Soldiers

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq demanded changes to a draft security pact with the United States Tuesday after it failed to win the support of its political leaders despite months of painstaking negotiations with Washington.

The announcement effectively reopens negotiations which had led last week to the unveiling of a draft that would require U.S. forces to leave Iraq by the end of 2011. The objections appear to be about details rather than the broad thrust of the pact.

"The cabinet has agreed that necessary amendments to the pact could make it nationally accepted," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told Reuters after a cabinet meeting.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[NobodysPoodle]

We cannot allow US troops to be tried in those courts.

First, the courts are not based in any sort of law. The courts are used for political purposes.

Second, the fog of war creates situations that are not black and white. As horrible as it sounds, civilians die when there is armed conflict especially when the insurgent is trying to look just like them. In fact, the insurgents are using their civilians as human shields--firing from houses. Despite our best efforts we can not be 100% certain at all times.

The best bet, get out of Iraq and let them fight their own civil war--we did.

[JustLynn]

Are you KIDDING ME?? Give IRAQ*I courts the RIGHT to TRY US Soldiers???? It's time to leave boys and let them fend for themselves...we should have never been there in the first place....

[BuyRubles]

It's official. The US is the first 21st century colonizer. Isn't it fascinating that Britain tried to do the same thing to Egypt in the 1920's and 30's? The EXACT same, leaving British soldiers in the hands of a kangaroo court rather than Egyptians.

[Whinger]

To win the war in Iraq would require something on the scale of genocide, it aint going to happen!

It's time to pull out troops out before they end up spending x number of years in Iraqi prisions!

[northstar11]

the US, johm mccain especially, wants to WIN THE WAR in iraq.

the US really wanted to win the war in viet nam.

just for fun i went to wiki viet nam war-- just for a little history and comparison to todays situation i iraq.

if you go there and read it, i'll bet you're saying 'holy cow we never learn' all the way thru.

[skantea]

You know what, If some of us are over there hurting innocent people, especially women and children, let them be tried by the Iraqis.
After what we've done, it not only the right thing, it's the least we can do.
After all isn't that what we went there for, to bring the Iraqi people Justice?
Or was it something else? Hmm.

[darthdarcy]

Oh man if Iraqi courts are allowed to try American soldiers it will be a nightmare, and if Bush caves in to this outrageous demand it would make him the most pusillanimous president since James Buchanan...

[Palemoon]

What's wrong with letting US Americans be treated the same as every other citizen in this world? Why should we be "above the law" in regards to international law? Doesn't that make us look like hypocrites when we call for other people to be dragged before the ICC, like Milsovic and his thugs? Obviously, Bush wasn't about to let Saddam be tried by the ICC, even tho that was within their rights. In doing so, he would have opened his daddy up to war crimes charges, along with Rumsfeld and Cheney. And they should have hanged alongside him.

[avgwhtmale]

If the international community was fighting the war then they could have their say. Right now I can think of over 4,000 good reasons why no one tries our troops except us...

International law 5.56 MM.

[Durango]

Extraterritorialism is one of the most repugnant aspects of Imperialism. It is highly resented by the people whose country is being occupied.

It was one of the main issues that led up to the Revolution in 1979 in Iran.

If you want to keep power, it is an excellent issue to play up. If you want to lose power, and get hanged from a lamp post you agree to extraterritorialism.

The USA has to find the quickest and most efficient way of getting the Hell out of Iraq. Granted the stupidity of Bush/Cheney have made that very difficult. But it needs to get done. Fast.

[lthuedk 1]

How about trying the war criminals who gave the original order?

http://www.light-to-dark.com/benedick_bush.html

[Erdgeist]

Obama should get out of this war as fast as he can. This war has been Bush's war so he could get reelected in 2004 who, by the way, should have been impeached for starting it. I hope a Democratic Congress has the political courage to get rid of the War Powers act and make it almost impossible to go to war again without the majority vote of both houses. It is just too damn easy to go to war -- and borrow and spend. Both need to be stopped.

[Palemoon]

Excellent post, matter of fact, what I consider a BEST POST EVER!

I hate to use cliche's, but you hit a home run with that one. At least with me. You said everything that I would have said, and you said it so very well!

Thank you!

[Ramus]

yes a good post and I agree. but what will happen to our weapons and war profiteering businesses? Seriously. Unfortunately the war biz employs a lot of Americans..we have to transfer these people to green jobs or infrastructure repair jobs. If peace breaks out this economy is in even worse trouble.

[Tom95134]

What about the contractors? They shouldn't be able to hide behind the U.S. for crimes they commit when they are off duty. In fact, they shouldn't be able to hide behind the U.S. in any circumstances. Let the Iraqis try them in an Iraqi court.

[gcallaghan]

Bargain with them. See if they'll accept the right to prosecute american contractors for crimes committed in Iraq, instead. We can't touch them here for crimes committed there. Then, maybe they'll let the military justice system, such as it is, prosecute our soldiers.

[marymansour]

I have a much better idea. Let's just remove our entire military presence from Iraq so they can get on with their lives and won't have the need to try our soldiers. Let Iraq get on with the business of governing themselves - wasn't the purpose of the war, as it became apparent that Bush had lied about the WMD presence, to bring democracy to the Middle East?

As an aside, I watched the Valley of Elah last night - a hard hitting story about the psychological effects of war on young men and women. Chilling.

[Ramus]

The purpose of the war was to enrich war profiteers and ensure that we can get at the Iraqis oil.

[peterg76]

The Iraqis know they just need to stall until the US election.

[peterg76]

And has anyone asked what US soldiers are doing committing crimes in the first place?

[LesserOf2Evils]

Following orders?

[Durango]

Us soldiers are like soldiers any where, at any time.

Some are good. Some are bad. Some commit crimes. Most don't.

But just to show what the Iraqi's are up against. There has been a rash of particularly brutal murders committed in Colorado Springs lately. By soldiers from Fort Carson.

Soldiers back from Iraq.

[MajorKong]

Silly Iraqis! Acting like they're a sovereign nation or something.