"Aspirational Goals" or "A Withdrawal Accord"

by: Chris LeJeune

Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 11:07:53 AM EST

All during this time however, the Bush administration has chosen to ignore the Iraqi government and push for "aspirational goals" or a conditions-based withdrawal. This has stirred up the Iraqi government and fomented so much distrust in the American government's willingness to cooperate that there was literally a fight on the floor of the Iraqi parliament yesterday. Now, as the SOFA nears completion, Bush steadfastly refuses to respect the wishes of the Iraqi government and continues to refer to aspirational goals and not fixed dates.  And yet, the Arabic version of the bill calls it a Withdrawal Accord.

WASHINGTON - Although the Pentagon officially has welcomed the new accord on a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, senior military officials are privately criticizing President Bush for giving Iraq more control over U.S. military operations for the next three years than the U.S. had ever contemplated.

At times, "President Bush wanted this deal more than the Iraqis did," said a senior administration official who closely monitored the negotiations.

This official, and others, all who spoke anonymously to be candid, offered a first glimpse into the dynamics of the secret negotiations, which gave Iraq almost unprecedented control over U.S. troops in the period between Jan. 1 and a final U.S. withdrawal from Iraq on Dec. 31, 2011.

As part of the accord, which U.S. and Iraqi officials signed in Baghdad on Monday, Iraq will have potential authority over U.S. military operations, intelligence-gathering, cargo shipments and even the mail sent to American troops. Foreign contractors are subject to Iraqi law. On Jan. 1, Iraq will assume control of the U.S.-fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, and of the nation's airspace.

At the same time in Washington, political pressures generated by Obama's victory, first in the primaries and then in the general election, led Bush to meet the Iraqi demands.

The Bush administration had sought a conventional status of forces agreement that would provide a semi-permanent basis for stationing troops in Iraq, while Obama campaigned on promises to withdraw all combat troops within 16 months of his inauguration. The Arabic language version calls the final agreement a withdrawal accord.

Here is the full text of the agreement.