U.S. - Iraq Security Agreement Negotiations Back On

US soldiers patrol the streets in Tahreer square on October 25, 2008 in Baghdad's central district. The US military warned on Wednesday that the failure to sign the much debated military deal between Washington and Baghdad threatens to derail security progress made so far in Iraq. (AFP/File/Ali Yussef)

Iraq Says U.S. Deal Would Ban Strikes On
Neighbors -- Yahoo News/Reuters

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq wants to amend a draft security pact with the United States to ban U.S. forces from striking neighboring countries from Iraqi territory, a government spokesman said on Wednesday.

Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Iraq also wanted to change the wording covering the possible prosecution of U.S. soldiers in Iraqi courts, a sensitive issue for Washington.

U.S. negotiators began on Wednesday to scrutinize the changes demanded by Iraq to the security pact, which sets the conditions for U.S. troops to operate in the country after their United Nations mandate expires in December.

U.S. President George W. Bush said he was still "hopeful and confident" a security deal could be agreed.

"We're analyzing those amendments, we obviously want to be helpful and constructive without undermining basic principles," Bush said after meeting the leader of Iraq's Kurdistan region, Masoud Barzani, at the White House.

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My Comment: I must give credit to the Americans .... they have learned to be very patient when it comes to negotiating with Arabs.