Crocker Says Iran Complicates Iraq Peace

by Darrin
(Poughkeepsie)

Ambassador Ryan Crocker is saying that Iran is playing a part in how long we have to stay in Iraq. On June 6, 2008 he said "There has been a lot of debate. Certainly one of the indicators that this is a new Iraq was Iraqis across the political spectrum expressing views on the negotiations and the agreement. In terms of criticism from the neighbors, Iran in particular, I think this is deliberately intended to make the negotiations difficult."

From Yahoo News, an AFP story that ran on 6/6/08, it says, "The proposed pact has come under fire from religious and political leaders both in Iraq and in neighboring Iran with anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr vowing to keeping up protests until the deal is scrapped.

The Iraqi government Tuesday said it had a "different vision" from the United States over the deployment of American troops in the country beyond 2008 and vowed not to compromise national sovereignty.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and US President George W. Bush signed a non-binding statement of principles in November for the negotiations, which began in March with the aim of concluding a pact by the end of July.

The proposed agreement is aimed at giving a legal basis to US troops after the December 31 expiry of a UN mandate defining their current status.

There are currently about 150,000 US troops deployed in Iraq, which was invaded by US-led forces in March 2003."