More Success... Iraqi Lawmakers Ratify Historic Pact With US
From GatewayPundit.com
Thanks to President George W. Bush, his Republican support in Congress
and the American military, these Iraqi children have the chance to live in a free
and democratic Iraq.
Iraqi school children, sporting new backpacks given out by coalition forces,
pose for their picture on Oct. 9, 2008, in Al Haay, Iraq. The event was part
of Al Haay Day, which encompassed a medical evaluation, Iraqi press conference,
school book distribution and Joint Security Station site assessment, all of which
helped to establish coalition presence in Al Haay. (Photo by Tech Sgt.
Jeremy Caskey- MNF-Iraq)
The new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved by Iraqi lawmakers in
November was ratified by Iraq’s Presidency Council yesterday, senior U.S.
officials said. The agreement establishes the foundation of a long-term bilateral
relationship between the United States and Iraq. Charles Krauthammer
celebrated this historical pact today at the Washington Post:
Thanks to President George W. Bush, his Republican support in Congress
and the American military, these Iraqi children have the chance to live in a free
and democratic Iraq.
Iraqi school children, sporting new backpacks given out by coalition forces,
pose for their picture on Oct. 9, 2008, in Al Haay, Iraq. The event was part
of Al Haay Day, which encompassed a medical evaluation, Iraqi press conference,
school book distribution and Joint Security Station site assessment, all of which
helped to establish coalition presence in Al Haay. (Photo by Tech Sgt.
Jeremy Caskey- MNF-Iraq)
The new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved by Iraqi lawmakers in
November was ratified by Iraq’s Presidency Council yesterday, senior U.S.
officials said. The agreement establishes the foundation of a long-term bilateral
relationship between the United States and Iraq. Charles Krauthammer
celebrated this historical pact today at the Washington Post:
The barbarism in Mumbai and the economic crisis at home have
largely overshadowed an otherwise singular event: the ratification
of military and strategic cooperation agreements between Iraq
and the United States.
They must not pass unnoted. They were certainly noted by Iran,
which fought fiercely to undermine the agreements. Tehran
understood how a formal U.S.-Iraqi alliance endorsed by a
broad Iraqi consensus expressed in a freely elected parliament
changes the strategic balance in the region.
For the United States, this represents the single most
important geopolitical advance in the region since
Henry Kissinger turned Egypt from a Soviet client into
an American ally. If we don't blow it with too hasty a
withdrawal from Iraq, we will have turned a chronically
destabilizing enemy state at the epicenter of the Arab Middle
East into an ally. Also largely overlooked at home was the
sheer wonder of the procedure that produced Iraq's consent:
classic legislative maneuvering with no more than a tussle or
two -- tame by international standards over the most
fundamental issues of national identity and direction.
The only significant opposition bloc was the Sadrists, a mere
30 seats out of 275. The ostensibly pro-Iranian religious Shiite
parties resisted Tehran's pressure and championed the
agreement. As did the Kurds. The Sunnis put up the greatest
fight. But their concern was that America would be
withdrawing too soon, leaving them subject to overbearing
and perhaps even vengeful Shiite dominance.
More here. Congratulations to President Bush, our outstanding
military and to all who contributed to make this a reality!
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