Passin' Gas

Friends,

  Hopefully, this pact will not pass before the U.S. passes Bush. Ahhhhhh......What a relief, that will be!

  Ironically, Bush's venture in Syria helped to screw this up.

Peace, Love and Hope,

Rev O

Senior Iraqi Leader Says Pact With U.S. Is Unlikely to Pass: 

Politicians' Fears of Voter Backlash Cited

Washington Post

"A senior Iraqi political leader said yesterday he is "doubtful" that a bilateral agreement authorizing U.S. forces to remain in Iraq after the end of the year would be approved by the Iraqi cabinet and parliament.

Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, said most political factions in Iraq want the accord to go through. But he said the country is "in a situation of intellectual terrorism, where people are not able to state their real positions" for fear of appearing too close to the United States and of undercutting their standing in provincial elections scheduled for January.

"Personally, I'm doubtful it will pass," Barzani said, speaking through a translator, during a meeting withWashington Post reporters and editors."

"The Iraqis have made several key demands, including granting Iraq more legal authority over U.S. troops accused of crimes; hardening a tentative 2011 departure date for American troops; and allowing Iraqi inspection of U.S. military shipments. After a controversial raid by U.S. forces into Syrian territory last weekend, the Iraqis also want an explicit ban on the United States staging attacks from Iraq into neighboring countries."