US out of Iraq in the year 2525, er 2011

October 15, 2008 5:12 PM

It's (semi) official: Washington and Baghdad have reached a final agreement after months of talks on a pact that would require U.S. forces to withdraw from Iraq by 2011, U.S. and Iraqi officials said on Wednesday. Additionally, "Iraq said it had secured the right to prosecute U.S. soldiers for serious crimes under certain circumstances" "Inside their bases, they will be under American law. Iraqi judicial law will be implemented in case these forces commit a serious and deliberate felony outside their military bases and when off duty."

But it's not officially done, with State Department spokesman Sean McCormack quoted saying: "Nothing is done until everything is done. Everything isn't done. The Iraqis are still talking among themselves. We are still talking to the Iraqis." An unnamed senior U.S. official said both sides agreed to the December 31, 2011 date for US troops to be out of Iraq, "unless Iraq asks them to stay longer."

The same story is being carried around, but USA today had a bit of info from AP on the previous draft.

posted by filthy light thief (36 comments total)

Maybe the draft pact was noted elsewhere, but this is the first I've heard of it.

And it's my first post to the Blue, sorry for any mistakes or hastiness.
posted by filthy light thief at 5:13 PM on October 15, 2008

I'm so glad that's finally sorted.
posted by Optamystic at 5:16 PM on October 15, 2008

First I've heard of it as well. Quite an interesting (and welcome) development.
posted by AdamCSnider at 5:17 PM on October 15, 2008

Mission Accomplished! (tm)
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 5:18 PM on October 15, 2008

In other words, as of toot-sweet troops are to stay on base while off duty.
posted by furtive at 5:20 PM on October 15, 2008

Fuckin' Obama and his artificial timelines.
posted by gman at 5:37 PM on October 15, 2008

These bases... how long will they be in Iraq? And why?
posted by rokusan at 5:39 PM on October 15, 2008

McCain campaign issues press release "That wasn't really the Fat Lady singing, and if John McCain is elected president he'll have a fatter mezzo-soprano out there than Obama with his lack of fat lady experience could ever obtain."
posted by BrotherCaine at 5:46 PM on October 15, 2008

US announces pullout from Iraq. A frustrated Iraq unavailable for comment.

Channeling late 1970s Chevy Chase, Weekend Update
posted by zippy at 6:27 PM on October 15, 2008 [3 favorites]

It's about time.
posted by Balisong at 6:46 PM on October 15, 2008

Not holding my breath, personally.
posted by paisley henosis at 7:23 PM on October 15, 2008

"Iraq said it had secured the right to prosecute U.S. soldiers for serious crimes under certain circumstances" "Inside their bases, they will be under American law. Iraqi judicial law will be implemented in case these forces commit a serious and deliberate felony outside their military bases and when off duty."

And what about the mercenaries? Most of the problems with lax rules of engagement and discipline is with them, not US soldiers. At least since Petraus actually got the idea through to his colleagues that the start of the best counterinsurgency situation is rarely randomly killing several people in the neighbourhood you are going to stay in.
posted by jaduncan at 7:46 PM on October 15, 2008

Isn't "serious felony" redundant?
posted by rokusan at 8:36 PM on October 15, 2008

These bases... how long will they be in Iraq? And why?

Does the US still have bases in Japan? Germany?

Yeah, I think you guys will be there for a while.
posted by chunking express at 9:24 PM on October 15, 2008

You know, you can get things halfway done forever.
posted by Jilder at 9:29 PM on October 15, 2008

I'm actually going to be the first one to say this? Wow. Well, here goes:

Could this be an October Surprise from the Republican party?

I mean, of all the things the Bushians might do to help John McCain get elected, surely this is in the top three. Or more acruately, would have been in the top three at the time they planned it, before the economic meltdown.
posted by Clay201 at 9:46 PM on October 15, 2008

Iraqis are being attacked and killed for returning to their homes
posted by homunculus at 9:50 PM on October 15, 2008

Iraqi Christians Flee Mosul in the Wake of Attacks
posted by homunculus at 9:52 PM on October 15, 2008

You can't announce a withdrawal date! Remarkable.
posted by dhartung at 10:02 PM on October 15, 2008

It's been a long "six weeks, at most six months".
posted by orthogonality at 11:43 PM on October 15, 2008

"Iraq said it had secured the right to prosecute U.S. soldiers for serious crimes under certain circumstances" "Inside their bases, they will be under American law. Iraqi judicial law will be implemented in case these forces commit a serious and deliberate felony outside their military bases and when off duty."

Of the many many alleged serious crimes that I've read about, none of them meet all those conditions. This is just worthless baubles for the natives, given to the allied-but-weak chief to dispense among his people and thus look better to them.

But providing the natives do think the baubles are valuable, then it is win-win, because the military is never never NEVER going to let a foreign country prosecute its soldiers for torture (or whatever) that was done on duty. To say "Hell would freeze over first" just seems like understating it. But this way, both parties look good. (Though victims apparently don't figure into it, let alone get any of the win, but that's politics for you.)
posted by -harlequin- at 11:57 PM on October 15, 2008

Could this be an October Surprise from the Republican party?

If it is, it's not much of a surprise. These talks between Iraq and Washington have been ongoing for months now, and very publicly. We all knew an agreement of sorts was going to be reached; it was just a question of when. This would have had more impact had it happened last spring, when McCain could have hammered on the surge = victory meme even harder, and it would have taken all the wind out of Obama's withdrawal plan.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 2:36 AM on October 16, 2008

Isn't "serious felony" redundant?

No. Violating the Alaskan Ethics act, AS 39.52.110(a), for example isn't serious at all.
posted by DreamerFi at 3:46 AM on October 16, 2008 [5 favorites]

Also, Japan has had a very hard time prosecuting Americans fucking around in Okinawa, so I don't know how well Iraq will fare.
posted by chunking express at 6:43 AM on October 16, 2008

"Required." By whom?
posted by MarshallPoe at 9:07 AM on October 16, 2008

"Required." By whom?

Apparently by both US and Iraq. But as noted above, the US has a presence in terms of bases all over the world. Here's a very short list of United States Military Bases around the world. As of fiscal year 2003, the US has at least 700 foreign bases. I'm not sure if they come out and tell us, but the 2007 Base Structure Report (PDF) is available online, if you'd like to know more.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:43 AM on October 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

Iraq said it had secured the right to prosecute U.S. soldiers for serious crimes under certain circumstances

Does this apply to contractors?
posted by heathkit at 4:04 PM on October 16, 2008

Defining ‘Victory’ in Iraq
posted by homunculus at 11:48 PM on October 16, 2008

Isn't that timed to be right before the next federal election campaign?
posted by furtive at 8:22 AM on October 18, 2008

Iraq's cabinet rejects current draft of U.S. troop accord
posted by homunculus at 9:38 AM on October 22, 2008

Iraq's prime minister won't sign U.S. troop deal
posted by homunculus at 12:49 PM on October 26, 2008

Syria: US choppers attack village near Iraq border
posted by homunculus at 1:33 PM on October 26, 2008

Wrecked Iraq: What the Good News from Iraq Really Means
posted by homunculus at 2:00 PM on October 28, 2008

U.S. lists services it'll cut off if Iraq rejects pact on troops
posted by homunculus at 11:15 PM on October 28, 2008

Fractures in Iraq City as Kurds and Baghdad Vie
posted by homunculus at 9:55 AM on October 29, 2008

Al-Maliki Backs Security Pact; Muqtada Calls for 'Universal Demonstration', Threatens Guerrilla Strikes; Sistani Warns he May Intervene
posted by homunculus at 10:33 AM on November 15, 2008