Agreement on US presence in Iraq up to 2011 approved

IRAQ'S PARLIAMENT yesterday approved by a solid majority the pact governing the presence and operations of US forces in the country until the end of 2011.

The Status of Forces Agreement, which was endorsed by the Shia, Kurdish and Sunni blocs, provides for the extension of the presence of US troops, now numbering 150,000, close Iraqi government oversight of their operations, the handover to Iraqi control of cities and towns by next June, and full withdrawal from the entire country and evacuation of all bases in three years' time.

The vote, due on Wednesday, was delayed because Sunni legis- lators refused to back the pact unless key demands were met. The Shia-Kurdish coalition had agreed to the Sunni call for a referendum on the deal and set the date for July 20th, but not to Sunni demands for a mass prisoner release and abrogation of the bar on members of the former ruling Baath party in public office.

If the referendum is held as scheduled and the agreement rejected, the US would have a year to withdraw. This timeframe is similar to that put forward by US president-elect Barack Obama, who favours withdrawal by the end of 2010. The holding of the referendum does not, however, prevent the agreement from taking effect on January 1st, 2009, when the UN mandate expires.

US-Iraq talks went on for 11 months before prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, facing opposition to the the pact, was able to secure a text which provided for the extension of the stay of the US military while preserving Iraqi sovereignty.

The main sticking points were the US demand that its troops should enjoy operational freedom and total immunity from prosecution under Iraqi law for crimes committed in the country.

Iraq secured its demands on these issues, as well as guarantees that the US would not mount military operations against neighbouring countries from Iraqi soil.

The US was compelled to give in wholly or partially on these issues, and to agree to the firm deadline for full withdrawal.

The US had pressed for conditional withdrawal, with the pull-out depending on security conditions as well as a residual troop presence to bolster Iraqi forces.

These issues are still so sensitive to both sides that the English text of the deal has not been published and there are indications that the two versions could be disputed.

The Sunni Accordance Front, with 44 seats in parliament, took a tough line because the Shia-Kurd coalition, which could muster only a narrow majority of the 275 members, failed to deliver on pledges to end the purge of Baathists from public posts, release prisoners and incorporate Sunni volunteers into the army and police.

Sunnis distrust the Shias and Kurds because they have refused to amend the 2005 constitution in line with a pledge to do so if the Sunnis agreed to support it. All these Sunni demands have been backed by the US, which seeks to promote reconciliation among Iraq's alienated communities.

Influential Shia Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has said he would back the pact if it had broad approval. Iran, which has connections with the Shia- Kurd coalition, advised the Maliki government to put the deal to the vote because it felt it was the best that could be achieved in the circumstances.