US officials have been publicly escalating the pressure on Iraq to “decide” whether or not US troops will remain beyond December. The fact that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki flat out ruled this out has gone largely ignored by officials, who are still waiting for an answer, but which they of course mean a “yes.”
Iraqi officials say this probably won’t be forthcoming, saying the current situation makes such a vote “politically untouchable” for the next several months. Parliamentary speaker al-Nujaifi says Iraq is in “no hurry” for such a decision.
Not that the US warnings that they need to decide “within weeks” has changed anything. The Obama Administration seems to be making no moves toward reducing troop levels in the near term, and seem content to wait for the approval they demand.
Such approval would be difficult for Iraq to justify. Maliki has repeatedly ruled out extending the presence, and Moqtada al-Sadr, the head of a key bloc, has threatened open rebellion in this happens. The more interesting question is what the Obama Administration will do if approval isn’t granted, because there seems to be little political support for leaving, whether permission is given to stay or not.
"The more interesting question is what the Obama Administration will do if approval isn’t granted…"
They will ignore the wishes of the Iraqi government of course. Because they believe in democracy and all that.
What part of the word NO US and EU don’t understand.., is simple.., NO means NO and is a good thing for US and EU obey the rule of the word NO. People are sick and tired of US and EU immoral policies toward nations in Middle East; therefore, they need to leave Iraq and from rest of the Middle East.., US and EU have done enough damages in terms of culturally, economically and politically wherever they been.., their latest creation is Libya.., stop these wars.., stop your insanity and stupidity by using more of the prospect in peace and respect democracy by uniting people everywhere.., while you are thinking about it get out of Iraq and rest of Middle East and Afghanistan. You want peace.., leave the people in Middle East alone.., they will find a way to peace and prosperity without your dogmatism, nepotism and biased politics.
Pardon my naiveate but wasn't this "decision" already made back when the US and Iraq signed the agreement? There is no further decision to make other than for the US to begin the agreed-upon withdrawal.
The US is like fleas on a dog, easy to get on but can't get rid of 'em once they're in. I rather fear that what the puppet regime in Iraq thinks or wants is quite irrelevant to the plans EXXON has for Iraq. So, press on.