U.S.-Iraqi pact needs changes, Sunni says

BAGHDAD, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Reaching an agreement on the legal framework for a U.S. troop withdrawal may not be possible without some amendments, a Sunni lawmaker said.

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on Nov. 17 signed a provision that defines the framework for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq. A framework is needed to provide legal cover for the presence of U.S. forces beyond the Dec. 31 expiration of the current U.N. mandate for Iraq.

The measure is before the Iraqi Parliament, which was adjourned Wednesday during debates following an altercation between Sadrist lawmakers and Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Mashhadani with the Sunni Accordance Front.

In an interview with the news site IslamOnline.net, Dhafir al-Ani with the Accordance Front said his party may oppose the measure as presented to the Iraqi Parliament.

"We have some remarks and content-wise reservations on the deal," he said. "We will approve the deal if some amendments are done."

The lawmaker said various phrases and language needed additional modifications in order to meet party demands.

Lawmakers complained Wednesday that, while Washington and the central government in Baghdad had nearly a year to vet the measure, Parliament was given barely a week to review the text. Parliament will recess following the Nov. 24 vote for the Eid al-Adha feast and the Hajj pilgrimage in December.