U.S. Gives Iraq Its Final Text On The U.S.-Iraq Security Agreement

U.S. Army Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division honor fallen service members at Kirkuk Regional Air Base/ Forward Operating Base Warrior, Iraq, April 7, 2007. Photo by Senior Airman Bradley A. Lail

US Gives Iraq Final Text of Draft Forces Agreement
-- Voice Of America

The Bush administration says it has sent Iraq what it says is the final text of an agreement on a continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq beyond the end of the year. U.S. officials say they accepted some Iraqi-proposed amendments, but that as far as the United States is concerned the negotiating process has ended. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Officials here say the final text was conveyed in a letter from President Bush to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and that while the U.S. side may provide further clarifications it considers the negotiations over.

The two sides have struggled for weeks to reach agreement on a status-of-forces agreement that will govern the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq beyond December 31, when the U.N. Security Council mandate for foreign forces in Iraq expires.

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My Comment: If the Iraqis do not accept this proposal, I will expect U.S. troops to be confined to barracks by January 1, 2009 and/or operating under a revised UN mandate. To sort out the legal status .... it will be an Obama administration that will work out the details.