Iraq Press Roundup

Discussions of the Status of Forces Agreement continue in the Iraqi papers. The Shiite al-Adala newspaper noted Tuesday that the Iraqi Cabinet passed the SOFA Sunday following Washington's approval of amendments from the central government in Baghdad. The agreement is now in the hands of the Iraqi Parliament.

The agreement

The newspaper referred to the SOFA as "the agreement of U.S. troop withdrawal," saying that although the agreement is not ideal, it is the best option for Iraq considering the alternative of extending the current U.N. mandate.

The bilateral security agreement establishes a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces, grants full sovereignty to the Iraqi government and prevents American troops from threatening neighboring countries from bases in Iraq.

Baghdad, the experienced and competent side of the negotiations, realized all of the positive aspects of the pact and was able to include several provisions that incorporated the interests of the Iraqi people.

Al-Iraq lil-Kul newspaper Tuesday highlighted the influence of Iran on Iraqi affairs since the U.S. occupation began in 2003, notably the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement.

What does Iran want from its allies in Iraq?

Iran supported the U.S. agenda in the Middle East by supporting the Iraqi government, whose members rode into Baghdad on American tanks. Iran also used religion to influence radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr and his Sadrist Movement in the Iraqi Parliament. Iran supported the anti-American Sadr as well when he put his forces, the Mehdi Army, against U.S. forces in 2004 and again when the cleric encouraged his supporters to engage in Iraqi politics.

Iraq moving to the brink of civil war in 2006 was a plan advocated by Iran when Sadr was in hiding in Tehran as he ordered his followers to wage a sectarian cleansing campaign in Iraq.

Tehran also used its influence to persuade the Iraqi government to amend the SOFA to address Iranian interests, then later encouraged the Sadrists to oppose the measure.

Finally, the Kurds may be faced with placing their fate in the hands of the Iranians, except for the fact the Kurdistan Regional Government could gain from stronger ties with Washington.

Al-Ittihad newspaper of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Tuesday pointed to the duplicity of the Iraqi side of the negotiations of the Status of Forces Agreement.

Negotiating the Agreement

The disagreements among the Iraqi negotiators were directed to the Iraqi public in an effort to confuse them and prevent them from making a clear decision on the provision.

Most Iraqi negotiators agree to at least some of the articles of the agreement, but in statements to the public they point out the weaknesses of the SOFA in order to decrease its clarity. The Iraqi negotiators put up a front of mistrust in the Americans when they issued their demands to Washington.

After months of wrangling, the security accord with Washington will pass, regardless of public sentiment, because opposition to the agreement ignores the consequences of its failure to take force.