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Iraq Set For Anti-Us Protests

Protests are expected to get under way in Iraq against a deal between Baghdad and Washington over the US’s long-term military role in the country.

Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia leader of the Mahdi Army, has called for the demonstrations after Friday prayers to pressure the Iraqi government into abandoning the proposed agreement.

The agreement, which officials from the administration of George Bush, the US president, told Al Jazeera they expect to finalise by the end of July, would provide a legal framework for US troops to remain in Iraq.

It would replace a UN mandate authorising US troops to remain in the nation until December 2008.

Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, another key Shia leader, has spoken out against the agreement, saying it would violate Iraq’s sovereignty.

Last week Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s most revered Shia cleric, also reportedly expressed his anger, saying he would not permit the Iraqi government to sign a deal with “US occupiers” as long as he lived.

‘No permanent bases’

The US government has said it will not seek permanent bases in Iraq.

David Satterfield, a senior advisor on Iraq at the US state department, told Al Jazeera that the so-called Status of Forces agreement (Sofa) with Baghdad would address the issue.

“The Sofa agreement and the strategic frameworks agreement will make explicit that there is no desire for, indeed there is a rejection of permanent bases. We could not be clearer on this point,” he said.

“We do not believe that there is a need for such bases.”

Satterfield said that the US was conducting the negotiations with representatives of all the main leaders in Iraq.

‘Iraq’s need’

Samir al-Sumaida’ie, the Iraqi ambassador to the US, said the agreement was not intended to “tie the hands of any future government in Iraq or any future administration in the US”.

“It’s a matter of the current need of Iraq,” he said.

“Our obligation to our people is to protect their interests, the obligation of the US government is to protect the Americans.
“Where these interests coincide, then we can reach agreement.”

Any prospective agreement can also be terminated two years after either party decides to do so, al-Sumaida’ie said.

However, in the US, the House of Representatives has adopted a bipartisan amendment requiring congressional approval for any proposed military accord with Iraq.

The move could prevent George Bush from approving the deal only months before leaving office.

Al Jazeera English - News - Iraq Set For Anti-Us Protests

Indexed under: American attempts to get permanent bases, Baghdad, Grand Ayatollah Sistani, Mahdi Army, Muqtada al-Sadr, Sadrist Bloc, Sadrist Protest Campaigns, SIIC (Formerly SCIRI)