Think the Iraq war is "over"?

[Meeker Morgan]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/52764064-68/iraq-baghdad-troops-immunity.html.csp
Iraq prime minister: Immunity issue scuttled U.S. troop deal

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s prime minister said Saturday that U.S. troops are leaving Iraq after nearly nine years of war because Baghdad rejected American demands that any U.S. military forces to stay would have to be shielded from prosecution or lawsuits.



Al-Maliki told reporters he still wants American help in training Iraqi forces to use billions of dollars worth of military equipment that Baghdad is buying from the United States. He did not say if the prospective U.S. trainers would be active-duty troops, and said any immunity deals for them would have to be worked out in the future.

Meanwhile, lots of "private security" to look after US interests. Right?

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. "shielded from prosecution or lawsuits". That's disgusting. Who on our side demanded that?

[FarCenter]

5. It is a typical condition in Status of Forces Agreements

East Timor Puts U.S. Soldiers Above the Law

by Charles Scheiner

In October, East Timor’s President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister traveled to Washington to meet with George Bush and Colin Powell. Only one formal agreement emerged from their conversations: the government of East Timor gave up its authority to ask U.S. soldiers in East Timor to obey East Timorese laws.


A U.S. Marine stands guard on the shoreline in Dili as USS Blue Ridge rests at anchor. US Navy photo.
East Timor and the United States signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which defines the rights and responsibilities of soldiers from one country (the “sending state”) who are based in another (the “receiving state”).

Some SOFAs, such as the one signed by NATO countries, are multilateral agreements, while most (including the more than 100 the United States has with other governments) are between two countries. These agreements specify tax responsibilities, immigration rights, use of radio spectrum and other public services, and other details regarding foreign military forces in the host country.

Most importantly, SOFA agreements specify how criminal laws (for ordinary crimes, such as robbery, rape, assault and murder) of the “receiving” country apply to soldiers from the “sending” country. In most SOFAs, the foreign soldiers are committed to respect the laws of the country they are visiting. If they violate the law, they could be prosecuted by the legal system of either their own country or the one they are in — this is called “concurrent jurisdiction.”

The agreement defines which country has “primary jurisdiction” — that is, which has the main responsibility for prosecuting and punishing soldiers who commit crimes. In a typical SOFA, the receiving country has primary jurisdiction for most violations of its laws, unless the victim of the crime is from the sending country. In some SOFAs, such as the one between the United States and the Philippines, the receiving country (Philippines) waives its right to primary jurisdiction except in cases of particular importance to the Philippines, as Manila decides. In any event, concurrent jurisdiction remains, and either the Philippines or the United States may prosecute cases when the country with primary jurisdiction fails to do so.

Read more at http://www.etan.org/estafeta/02/winter02/3law.htm

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. Thank you very much for that. Just disgusting. Hopefully the world rejects it in all forms.

[begin_within]

2. The last U.S. troop will leave...

...the day after the last drop of oil has been extracted.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. It's over like the Korean war is over?? Just wonderin'. n/t

[msongs]

4. no more tax payer money to support anybody in Iraq except LIMITED embassy staff nt