US 'not to launch attacks from Iraq'

Baghdad: The United States on Tuesday denied reports that a proposed Iraqi-American security pact would give American forces the right to use Iraqi territory to strike other countries.

The long-term Status of Forces Agreement appears to have led to a rare discord between Baghdad and Washington over several controversial articles, senior Iraqi military sources have told Gulf News on Tuesday.

Among them two that would "give the US the right to strike from within Iraqi territory, any country it considers a threat to its national security," and allow American forces to set up several permanent military bases in Iraq, the sources said.

The proposed pact would also place Iraqi security institutions such as Defence, Interior and National Security ministries, as well as armament contracts, under American supervision for ten years, added the sources.

However, a US spokesperson in Baghdad said the agreement was still being negotiated. "Texts are very much in flux week by week, negotiating session by negotiating session, and relative positions will continue to evolve over coming sessions," said Mirembe Nantongo, spokesperson and Deputy Public Affairs Counsellor at the US Embassy in Baghdad in a statement sent to Gulf News on Tuesday night.

The statement denied any US plan to set up "permanent bases in Iraq" or to seek the right to use Iraqi territory to attack other countries.

"The agreement currently under negotiation between the US and Iraq will explicitly state (1) that the US does not desire and will not seek permanent bases in Iraq and (2) that US forces in Iraq are focused on supporting the Iraqi government and will not be used for offensive operations against any of Iraq's neighbours," Nantongo told Gulf News.

Iraqi military sources nevertheless confirmed that the American army is in the process of completing the building of the military facilities and runways for the permanent bases.

Those points, among other disputed articles, the sources added, have raised eyebrows within the government of Nouri Al Maliki and the military establishment.

Government spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh said the cabinet discussed the proposed agreement, which is scheduled to be concluded by next month and insisted that Iraq's national interests must be protected.

"A joint vision on this issue is yet to be achieved between the two sides, and ... the Iraqi side has a different vision, and it will not undercut or be negligent towards Iraqis' rights and sovereignty," he was quoted by AFP as saying.

Iraqi analysts say the second item of the agreement, which permits American forces on Iraqi territories to launch military attacks against any country the US considers a threat is "addressed primarily to Iran and Syria."

Al Maliki and US President George W. Bush signed a non-binding statement of principles in November for the negotiations, with the aim of concluding a pact by the end of July.

The proposed agreement is aimed at giving a legal basis the 150,000 US troops deployed in Iraq after the December 31 expiry of a UN mandate defining their current status.

The proposed pact has already come under fire from religious and political leaders both in Iraq and in neighbouring Iran with anti-American cleric Moqtada Al Sadr vowing to keeping up protests until the deal is scrapped.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Iraq "needs this strategic agreement, but it will not be open-ended."

He added that Baghdad had assured its neighbours that the deal will not go against their national interests. "There is no hidden agenda," he said.

Other main points of the pact

According to London-based Al Hayat newspaper:

The US would get

- Control Iraq space up to 29,000 feet.
- Open-ended concessions on land, skies and waters of Iraq.
- The right to define terrorist activities.
- The right to arrest and detain an Iraq considered a threat to the American troops.
- The right to launch anti-terror operations without a pre-approval from the Iraqi government.
- Legal protection from prosecution to US forces and security companies.

The Iraqi Government insists on:

- Its total sovereignty over Iraqi territory.
- Giving no concessions to US forces with prior approval by Iraqi authorities.
- Setting up temporary bases the status of which to be review annually.
- Prior Iraqi approval of any US military operation.
- Iraqi authorisation for the arrest and detention of Iraqi citizens.
- Legal protection for US forces during military operations only.
- Limited rights for the US in the Iraqi skies.

- With additional inputs from Dubai by Mohammed Almezel, Deputy Managing Editor

The proposed Iraqi-American security agreement will include permanent American bases in the country, and the right for the United States to strike, from within Iraqi territory, any country it considers a threat to its national security, Gulf News has learned. Are you concerned by the proposal? How, do you think, such a move will affect regional stability? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form below to send your comment.

Your comments

If the current Iraq Government Agrees to these ill-intended American terms then they will be doing non-sense absolutely. They should ensure that no agreement of that kind exists at all. Why we Muslims are behaving like this. Americans and its puppets should leave Iraq quickly.
H. Mwinyigogo
Dar-es-Salaam,Tanzania
Posted: June 04, 2008, 11:14

the presence of the U.S. in Iraq is part of the USCENTCOM (US Central COmmand) plan to attack Iran next. By attacking Iran, Iran can easily retaliate by crossing inside Iraq to attack US bases inside Iraq. This is what worries Iraq. There will never be stability in this region in the years ahead.
Helbert
Cagayan de Oro City,philippines
Posted: June 04, 2008, 10:15

Im not in favor on that deal, America is our enemy forever. they killed our brothers in Islam, and they support israel killing the palistinians.
ABUBKAR
cotabato,philippines
Posted: June 04, 2008, 06:55

Yes ..this is very concerning
yes
yes,US
Posted: June 04, 2008, 05:34