This week I have looked at the Iraqi government’s vote on the security pact, which allows the U.S. troops to stay longer in Iraq, but then puts a timetable for the first time to pull out by year 2011. The agreement was already made last August between the U.S. and Iraqi government, but the Iraqi parliament has yet to ratify it. And after they ratify it, then it gets put on a public referendum for the citizens. Then in November, the United States has elected Barack Obama as its new president, who has been against the Iraq War from the beginning and constantly called for troop withdrawals throughout his campaign. It seems the President-elect might be now in an easier position to commit to his proposals after the vote. However, the recent security pact was met with more skepticism from both the supporters and critics of troop withdrawal. One blog I have looked at was by Alissa J. Rubin, a reporter for the New York Times Baghdad bureau. She had used her resources on the field to get the views of Iraqi citizens on the issue. She has concluded that basically the Iraqis think “they [Americans] will never leave” (which is also the title of the post) mainly because the country would never simply leave after costing so much lives and money on the invasion. The other one was Maya Schenwar of Truthout.com who had argued that the pact has created more confusion than about the future direction. The main factors have been loopholes and restrictions imposed by between the US government and a few Iraqi government officials despite oppositions from the majority of its citizens. Both posts have conveyed mostly Iraqi views. Here are my reactions to them:
Analysis: 'They Will Not Leave' by Alissa J. Rubinhttp://baghdadbureau.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/they-will-not-leave-analysis/
I have followed your reporting from Baghdad on NYT, and it was once again insightful to see Iraqi citizens’ points of view on this important issue. I will be an Air Force officer after graduating from college and have tried to follow up on the situation there, whether through the media or the military sources. However, I do believe that the Iraqi’s points of view are often overshadowed in our media although that should be the most critical to our success. I know that not all Iraqis think the same, (because if they did, then we would not be still tangled in this conflict) but it was still helpful. I am now convinced that Iraqis are skeptical about our troop withdrawal any time in the near future, even with the new administration. However, the Iraqis must also understand that pulling out of Iraq has become our national interest, not staying. And since the situations have improved, the U.S. is anxious to give responsibility back to the Iraqis and deal with threats in Afghanistan or outside of the Middle East.
Iraqis are probably right on what our government is thinking – that we simply would not leave until we get what we want after costing so much lives and resources. Like you wrote, they think that the troops will stay for another “ten years” or even if they pull out of the cities, they will “stay on bases”. Like mentioned some time before, Iraq could become the next Korea, where about 35,000 U.S. troops are indefinitely stationed after the armistice in 1953. Yet, the U.S. has also pulled out before when it thought it was enough, especially in the case of Vietnam. And we also have a new president who was elected for opposing the war and demanding troop withdrawals. This will now be the test to his promises and political future, especially when it has gotten a bit easier with a timetable. I am not guaranteeing we will pull out but the new administration will work on it as much as it can.
You mentioned the attitudes of our soldiers towards the end, which I believe was a strong conclusion; that the soldiers, like the American people, “have moved on”, regardless of the political situation. They believe they have done enough, and will continue to serve. I really commend them and hope they will all return home with honor they deserve.
Thank you.
Despite Agreement, US Future in Iraq Unclear by Maya Schenwar
http://www.truthout.org/112808Z#comment-28037
Thank you for your insightful article and more people should be concerned about this, whether they are Americans or Iraqis. It seems like the media only does a superficial coverage of the pact, not even mentioning the fact that the pact will not be released to the public. As someone who will be an Air Force officer after college, I believe I have to be fully aware of this situation.
President-elect Obama has opposed the war from the beginning, continuously called for the troop withdrawals, and putting a timetable for it too. It seems like the tide has already been turned to his favor as he takes office next January. This gives him more advantage to keep his campaign promises. However, as you point out, there are more loopholes and constraints for him. The security pact makes the US troops leave by 2011, much later than Obama’s proposal, and has to give a one year warning for any changes, which makes it even more difficult for him to bring it earlier. I hope the new administration is aware of this before trying anything even more damaging.
Even the Iraqi government has passed this pact without going through its proper constitutional procedure – this already undermines its own constitution only less than a few years after it has been written. But then at least, there are debates going on inside all branches of government and even in the public while in the U.S., only a few number of officials in the executive branch are knowledgeable about this. This will enable the executive branch in the US to get pass the Congress and unilaterally act on treaties, which is also unconstitutional in our own country. As a former law professor, I hope the next president Obama will understand and fix this mess to get back to the legal track.
It is impossible to predict what will happen in the next three years. However, the new administration will have to be fully aware of this current situation and come up with a new agenda that determines the security of both nations’ interests without violating their own constitutions. Thank you.
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