Iraq Press Roundup

The Status of Forces Agreement currently being debated between Washington and Baghdad is met with mixed sentiments. The topic has gained attention in the Iraq media as the United States is pushing Iraqi leaders to sign the agreement before U.S. President-elect Barack Obama takes office.

Al-Ittihad newspaper of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan said Friday that many Iraqi politicians are using the bilateral security accord for propaganda, using false information when describing the measure as invalid and unequal.

The Iraqi-American agreement

The media has played a role in distorting the image of the security arrangement set to replace the U.N. mandate for Iraq, describing it as a "long-term" arrangement, despite its provisions being shrouded in secrecy.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has moved to dispel any rumors on the agreement by moving the measure forward for lawmaker approval during a weekend session. One of the key concerns over the provision is ensuring Iraq retains its sovereignty, the paper said.

The ongoing discussions surround the Status of Forces Agreement does not only influence policy decisions in Baghdad and Washington, but also the entire Middle East. Even though the agreement is a matter for the Iraqi interior, Baghdad has sought to give assurances to its neighbors. Iran and Syria, for example, have voiced their concerns over the agreement because of their aggressive positions with Washington. Iraq, however, has no say in the positions of other states, the paper said.

Violence has returned to the streets of Baghdad and other parts of the country as the final phases of the Status of Forces Agreement with Washington develop, the independent Kitabat news service said Friday.

Explosions in Baghdad welcome SOFA and the coming elections

The gains for the U.S. troop surge have been erased as bombings have returned to the streets of the war-torn country. To the surprise of many, Baghdad and Washington have offered few comments on these incidents, even when U.S. forces are killed.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi people could care less about the bilateral security arrangement as more serious concerns are presented with the increased threat environment. People are instead offering their positions on more pressing matters, like government corruption and sectarian division.

While Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki tries to negotiate the agreement, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdish Democratic Party are pressuring him to sign onto the accord, pointing to a growing political rift. Washington, therefore, is pushing Baghdad to sign onto the agreement at one of the most critical stages in Iraq's development.

The independent Sot al-Iraq news service said Friday that many of the security agreements in force among democratic countries are discussed and signed behind the closed doors of Parliament and rarely in public.

A public security agreement

Baghdad is talking candidly about the security and economic implications of the Status of Forces Agreement currently under review by Iraq and the United States. This gives national and international media groups the opportunity to vet the agreement when it is clearly an Iraqi interior matter, the news service said.

Whether world opinion is in favor or in opposition to the agreement, it is a matter for Washington and Baghdad to hammer out.

Discussions and possible amendments to the agreement have long-term implications for the country. The people should, therefore, offer their support for the measure because it limits the movement of U.S. troops in the country, which is a dream come true for many Iraqis.