Iraqi status of forces pact wins final approval
« Thread Started on Dec 4, 2008, 7:31am »

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Iraqi status of forces pact wins final approval
Posted: 08:34 AM ET
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — The Iraqi presidency council Thursday approved the
U.S.-Iraq security agreement — the final step for the agreement to be ratified
by the Iraqi government, according to presidency council spokesman Nasir
Al-Ani.

The pact allows the presence of American troops in Iraq for three more
years.

The three-member presidency council, which consists of Kurdish President
Jalal Talabani, Shiite Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi and Sunni Vice President
Tariq al-Hashimi, approved the agreement unanimously a week after the Iraqi
parliament passed the measure. Under the Iraqi constitution, unanimous approval
by the presidency council is required for ratification of a law or agreement.

The security pact, which is to replace a U.N. mandate for the U.S.
presence in Iraq that expires at the end of year, was reached after months of
negotiations between Iraqi and U.S. representatives, sets June 30, 2009, as the
deadline for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from all Iraqi cities and towns.
The date for all U.S. troops to leave Iraq would be December 31, 2011.
The agreement — which stresses respect for Iraqi sovereignty –
“requests the temporary assistance” of U.S. forces, but severely restricts
their role.