Maliki: Extension of US Troops Stay in Iraq Up to Parliament

Sadrist MP Accuses Kurdistan of Secret US Deal

In a statement issued today after a call with Vice President Joe Biden, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki insisted that the decision on whether or not to allow the US occupation of Iraq to continue beyond December is entirely up to parliament.

US officials have repeatedly demanded Iraq approve a continuation of the American presence, with some suggesting it could last for years. The Sadrist Trend, one of the key factions in the parliament, has opposed any residual force.

Iraqi MP Ali al-Tamimy (Sadrist Trend) also made comments today accusing the Kurdistan Regional Government and its ruling coalition parties of having entered into a secret deal to allow US troops to remain in Kirkuk after the December deadline.

The 2008 vote cementing the Status of Forces Agreement through December 2011 only passed with the support of Sadrists and others based on a promised referendum which was never held. A new vote seems likely to be extremely difficult.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.