Maliki sees signing agreement as “political suicide”- paper

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki believes that signing the U.S.-Iraqi security deal is “political suicide,” said The Sunday Times in a report quoting an Iraqi politician as saying. “Senior Iraqi politicians have warned that a crucial deal between Baghdad and Washington governing the presence of American troops in the country is doomed to failure after eight months of talks,” the newspaper today wrote in a report. “‘The Sofa [Status of Forces Agreement] is dead in the water,’ said one Iraqi politician close to the talks,” according to the report. “The collapse of the deal would severely undermine American policy. An agreement is needed to put America’s presence on a legal basis after the United Nations mandate for its 154,000 troops in Iraq expires on December 31.” The report said that the U.S. secretary of defense, Robert Gates, claimed last week that the deal was “mostly done.” “The draft pact, painstakingly negotiated in Baghdad by Ryan Crocker, the American ambassador, and US generals, calls for a withdrawal of American forces from Iraq’s main cities by the end of 2009 and a complete withdrawal by 2011.” “The Americans made what they considered to be a significant compromise by agreeing to Iraqi jurisdiction over any troops who committed ‘serious crimes’ while off duty,” the newspaper said. “Despite the concessions it emerged this weekend that Maliki, who has grown in stature as the Iraqi armed forces have taken control of security in the main cities of Baghdad, Basra and Mosul in the past year, would block the deal.” “Two other serving members of Maliki’s government confirmed his view. Iraqi politics is focused on the forthcoming provincial elections, due early next year. Maliki also faces a general election in a year’s time,” the report explained. “Open support for the American presence is seen as a vote-loser, even though most Iraqis tacitly acknowledge the need for troops to remain in the country until their own army can enforce order,” it added. SS (S) 1