.How the Election Could Affect Iraq-U.S. Negotiations
In Iraq, the election could have an immediate impact on contentious negotiations between the U.S. and Iraq on a security agreement that will set the conditions of a continued American military presence here.
It’s not so much the result of the election that matters, however, rather the fact that it’s over and done with.
U.S. officials, who are currently reviewing Iraqi demands for amendments to the draft pact, were waiting until after the U.S. presidential elections to respond. Now that the drama back home is over, they hope to reply to the Iraqi demands by Thursday, according to people familiar with the matter.
Iraqi officials also said the end of the U.S. elections would reduce some of the politics complicating the talks.
The current draft agreement calls for U.S. troops to leave Iraq at the end of 2011, although certain forces could be asked to stay longer to train and support the Iraqi military and police.
U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said Wednesday that he didn’t expect the Obama victory to affect the substance of the negotiations on the security pact. In a speech at an elections-day celebration at the new U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Mr. Crocker emphasized that the U.S. has just one president at a time, and President George W. Bush was still the leader of the country for the next two and a half months.
He told reporters after the speech that as with any transition, there will be intense interaction with Obama staffers to ensure they are kept informed of the security talks in Iraq.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari also said he didn’t expect the Obama win to affect the security negotiations. He said that the Iraqi government was negotiating with the current Bush administration, not the next president.
“A new administration will definitely mean a different approach, but Iraq has an important relationship with the U.S. and that won’t change,” said Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.
WSJ
It’s not so much the result of the election that matters, however, rather the fact that it’s over and done with.
U.S. officials, who are currently reviewing Iraqi demands for amendments to the draft pact, were waiting until after the U.S. presidential elections to respond. Now that the drama back home is over, they hope to reply to the Iraqi demands by Thursday, according to people familiar with the matter.
Iraqi officials also said the end of the U.S. elections would reduce some of the politics complicating the talks.
The current draft agreement calls for U.S. troops to leave Iraq at the end of 2011, although certain forces could be asked to stay longer to train and support the Iraqi military and police.
U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said Wednesday that he didn’t expect the Obama victory to affect the substance of the negotiations on the security pact. In a speech at an elections-day celebration at the new U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Mr. Crocker emphasized that the U.S. has just one president at a time, and President George W. Bush was still the leader of the country for the next two and a half months.
He told reporters after the speech that as with any transition, there will be intense interaction with Obama staffers to ensure they are kept informed of the security talks in Iraq.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari also said he didn’t expect the Obama win to affect the security negotiations. He said that the Iraqi government was negotiating with the current Bush administration, not the next president.
“A new administration will definitely mean a different approach, but Iraq has an important relationship with the U.S. and that won’t change,” said Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.
WSJ
posted by madtom at 9:04 PM
5 Comments:
OK. Let me go on record. Obama will begin withdrawing troops as promised and in keeping with his recorded promise to cut military spending by 25 percent so that money can be redistributed to those with the most need here at home. Gotta keep the idiots sedated after all.
The Iraq government leaders will privately express 'concern' and request a temporary increase in financial and armament support to make up for the loss of troops. Obama will agree happily. The money will go down a similar but different rathole which can not be followed, only to arrive at the same end destination. The thugs and zealots in Iraq will declare victory and do what they do so well. The media will ignore the deteriorating situation and level of blood in the average street, or blame Bush and say 'what a shame it is some are blaming the Holy O for the inevitable result of failed Bush doctrine'. Iraqi;s will die. The global number of humans enslaved will see a bump back up to pre-war levels. The Iraqi bloggers who are living the good life here in the USA will continue to tell us how terrible we are and declare it their duty as a martyr to stay away from the sacrifice in the homeland. Life will go on. But at least the Chosen One will take care of my mortgage and gas, won't he? Have I become the new minority? The sacrifice of a few to feed the needs of the many? Or some similar fascist bull shit.
That wasn't very magnanimous of me, was it? I therefore must be a racist. I expect some reeducation opportunities will become my guaranteed right as an American at some point in the near future. Pray for me as I become assimilated. Don't go wobbly on me, Mad Tom!
I haven't gone wobbly, if that's a word. But the election is over.
I more or less expect something along the lines of what you describe, but, he hasn't done any of it yet. I will give him the chance to fail on his own, then start to bitch.
I think everyone deserves a chance to fail.
god knows I gave Bush as much
Of course 'wobbly' is a word. As in Margaret Thatcher to the first Bush in the Gulf War--- 'don't go wobbly on us George."
Yes, the election is over, but the damage, if there will be damage, is going to happen in the first 6 months. The choice of Emmanuel gives me some hope that they won't be reaching too far left, but it's going to be interesting to see how they back out of some of their pandering to the Leftist Base without a credible Rep force to blame it on. I'm just trying to do my part.
I'm about to dig up some audio I heard today on the radio.
It should catch your hair back on fire, if it's stop smoldering yet
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