Maliki’s visit to Sistani, is it really about the security agreement?
Although both headlines are true, pro-U.S. news sites came with headline similar to this “Top cleric deputises parl., govt. to sign deal - PM” [which we already know that the parl. Opposes the agreement - as the house speaker said in his statement]. Other news sites came with this headline “[U.S. soldiers] Immunity remains sticking point in US-Iraq pact“.
The two points
According to the Green Zone newspaper Al-Sabaah:
Sources revealed yesterday that the [Iraqi] government has received a new security-agreement draft from the American-side, while Maliki after his meeting with Sistani confirmed that there are several points in the agreement are not agreed upon with the Americans.
While “well-informed” sources told the Kuwaiti newspaper Awan reported another scenario:
The last session of the negotiation between the two sides was crucial, an agreement was reached on the disputed points…..Washington will have the legal jurisdiction over U.S. soldiers during the military operations authorized by the Iraqi government only, otherwise, any American soldier commits a crime outside the framework of this agreement, will be subjected to the Iraqi law.
The newspaper added this information:
The new context of security agreement is already finished and is waiting for a formal declaration of the Iraqi approval for signature.
So, why Maliki needed to see Sistani to and came with such shallow answer quoting Sistani saying: “leave it to the parl.”? Ipairaq gives as the answer:
Iraqi MP Sami Al-Askari from the United Iraqi Alliance who expected that the next few days will witness an escalation opposing the agreement told the news site:
Iran and the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, hamper the signing of the Iraqi-American agreement.
As you can notice from the above links that Maliki’s visit to Sistani wasn’t about the SOFA but it was gesture to overpower the Supreme Council and to use Sistani as an argument point for future conflict with Al-Hakim’s Supreme Council [and the Kurds preparing for the next week negotiations].
Tomorrow: Did Sistani really supported SOFA [as Maliki claims]?
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