In 1964 the British Labior Party won the elections and some Arabs were
overjoyed and partied to celebrate the end of Eden and
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker (3rd left), and Iraqi Foreign
Minister Hoshyar Zebari (4th right), sign the U.S.-Iraq Status of
Forces
Agreement on Nov. 17. On Thursday, Iraq's National Assembly
passed the bill by a wide margin, 149 to 35.
Al Iraq News, Iraq
Anger Over Passage
of U.S.-Iraq Security Deal
"The security agreement
confiscates the right of the Iraqi people to defend themselves, deprives them
of reparations and protects the government and Assembly members who are hiding
in the Green Zone because they're afraid of the people."
-- Maha Al Duri, Member of the Iraqi National Assembly from
the Sadrist bloc
Lawmakers from the Muqtada al-Sadr bloc in the Iraqi Legislature hold signs saying 'No, No to the agreement,' before the U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement was passed overwhelmingly 149 to 35.
The passing of the U.S.-Iraq
Status of Forces Agreement by the National Assembly stirred anger among many
political figures and parties, who consider the deal a shameful sign that Iraqi
legislators are Iraqi in name only, and that they have repeatedly proven this
by their actions.
The speaker of the
Association of Muslim Scholars, Muthanna Al Dari, said that the Assembly
approved the agreement to protect the present government, since it fears Iraq's
people and hence an American withdrawal. He also said that the agreement, the
details of which have yet to be revealed to Iraq's people, enshrines the idea
that American forces are friendly, which means that there will be no
withdrawal. This is the opposite of what the government has asserted, namely
that all U.S. forces with pull out by 2011.
In keeping with
the Association's previous statement , Al Dari described the pact as the
“Surrender Agreement.” He added that a thorough reading of the deal reveals
that its political ramifications are occupation rather than withdrawal and
asserted that its signing would have no affect on the course of events in Iraq,
now that it's out in the open who wishes to divide Iraq, who seeks to harm it
and that everyone’s intentions are clear.
Dr. Fadil Al Rubaihi, a
political scientist living in Damascus, scoffed at those who signed the
agreement, calling it a mark of shame on everyone who did. And he condemned the
positions of the Iraqi Accord Front and Iraqi List , who signed after repeatedly announcing staunch
opposition.
AL-JAZEERA: INSIDE THE U.S.-IRAQ STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT
Representative Maha Al Duri
of the Sadrist bloc, which stood against the agreement, said that any treaty
that puts the Iraqi people under the yoke of shame and betrayal isn't binding.
According to her, the security agreement confiscates the right of the Iraqi
people to defend themselves, deprives them of reparations and protects the
government and Assembly members who are hiding in the Green Zone because
they're afraid of the people.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Salih Al Motlak, whose bloc
signed the agreement, defended its position by saying that the only way to
limit the damage to Iraq was to approve the agreement, after guarantees were
offered by the government and the Americans.
