[Guardian
Unlimited, U.K.]
Iraq News Agency, Iraq
The U.S.-Iraq
Security Deal 'Legitimizes the Occupation'
"Al-Maliki and the rest of
those who inhabit the Green Zone and are protected by the occupier have cleaved
to his presence and are working to maintain the occupation, because the moment
the foreign forces depart, there will be no government in the Green Zone."
By Mohammad Kaouch
Translated By Nicolas Dagher
November 19, 2008
Iraq - Iraq
News Agency - Original Article (Arabic)
Prime Minister
al-Maliki has brought us the good news that he signed the [U.S.-Iraq] Status of
Forces Agreement, discussing it with such pride that one might have believed it
was a great victory for the Iraqi people!!
Al-Maliki knew in
advance, as we did, that the Iraqi National Assembly would approve the deal
because al-Maliki, the Assembly bloc of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim [leader of the
Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, Iraq's dominant political
party] and the Kurdish bloc, which comprises an Assembly majority, have backed
the deal from the beginning. They are under the protection of the occupation,
and in return for cooperating and supporting the occupier, they have divided
the spoils and the government posts.
SEE ALSO FROM
IRAQ:
Iraq News Agency, Iraq:
The U.S.-Iraq Security Deal 'Legitimizes the Occupation'
Kitabat,
Iraq: 'Beyond Allah, Only America Can Save Iraq'
Azzaman,
Iraq: 'Largest Demonstration in Five Years' Held in Support of U.S. Security
Deal
Kitabat,
Iraq: Obama's Election Makes 'Fatal Blow' Against Kurds Possible
Kitabat,
Iraq: Election of Obama a Chance to 'Offset' Iranian Influence
To put it
frankly, they've agreed and voted against the blood of Iraq … They have lent
legitimacy to the occupation of Iraq at a time when the U.S. administration
confronts difficult domestic challenges and when the occupying army is in such
a tough spot that many believed that the moment for withdrawal had finally
come, after the failure of the military option and an escalation of attacks by
the Iraqi national resistance.
Al-Maliki and the
rest of those who inhabit the Green Zone and are protected by the occupier have
cleaved to his presence and are working to maintain the occupation because the
moment the foreign forces depart, there will be no government in the Green
Zone. They want the occupation to remain in order to perpetuate the division of
Iraq and its people on the basis of sectarian affiliation [Sunni and Shiite]
and ethnicity.
Al-Maliki, who
has aired his "Statement No. 1" which delivered the good news of
liberation, the withdrawal of foreign forces, independence and sovereignty,
said that Iraq had been surrounded and wrongly governed under the former
[Saddam] regime, but that now, thanks to Allah, Iraq is a free and independent
country with full sovereignty!!
Lawmakers loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada
al-Sadr converge
on Firdous Square in Baghdad for a mass
prayer to protest
the U.S.-Iraqi security pact, Friday, Nov. 21. The sign says,
'No, no to the agreement.'
Maliki also said
that the withdrawal of foreign forces is assured and will proceed according to
a schedule, but we heard from the U.S. military something at odds with this
premise, when U.S. Chief of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said that he agreed
with General Petraeus and Ray Odierno - commander of U.S. forces in Iraq - that
the withdrawal should be based on security conditions on the ground - and not a
timetable. He also warned that the fragile security situation could change in
the meantime. There are also provisions in the Status of Forces Agreement that
would allow the Iraqi government to ask U.S. forces to stay as long as they're
needed!!
With this
agreement, the Maliki Government wants to legitimize the occupation armies and
transform them from occupying forces to "mandated forces" under the
banner of "friendly forces." Therefore, "Green Zone Prime
Minister" Nuri al-Maliki will cover up this conversion by offering the
illusion of victory and talk of sovereignty and independence, just the way
President George W. Bush likes to discuss his "victories." It is in
this way that Maliki will try and dupe the Iraqi people.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
But Iraqis know
the truth, the whole truth, namely that the sovereignty, independence and
freedom of Iraq will only materialize when the occupying armies are withdrawn
and Iraq's ruling powers stop working against the unification of the people and
territories of Iraq.
CLICK HERE FOR
ARABIC VERSION
SEE ALSO:
Azzaman, Iraq
'Largest Demonstration in
Five Years' Held in Support
of Security Deal with U.S.
http://worldmeets.us/azzaman000185.shtml
Kitabat, Iraq
'Beyond Allah, Only
America Can Save Iraq'
http://worldmeets.us/kitabat000026.shtml
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
November 21, 8:55pm]
