Iraqi foreign minister urges security deal with U.S.

As the minister himself notes there are other alternatives but one alternative he does not mention is asking the U.S. to leave. This is not an alternative because the existing Iraqi government would probably not survive a U.S. exit. The present Iraqi government is dependent upon the U.S. and not really sovereign.
However the U.S. apparently has finally decided to lift the demand for immunity from Iraqi law of contractors (NY Times.) Of course troops will continue to be immune. There is no sign yet that there is agreement on a new "status of forces" document.


Iraqi foreign minister urges security deal with US
Iraqi foreign minister: Country has little choice but to sign security agreement with US
QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRAAP News
Jul 01, 2008 09:13 EST
Iraq's foreign minister says the country has little choice but to sign a new security agreement with the U.S. that would let American troops stay in the country after a U.N. mandate expires

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari recently returned to Iraq after meeting with President Bush in Washington to discuss the agreement, which has been criticized by many Iraqi officials worried it would leave too much power in U.S. hands.
But Zebari told parliament Tuesday that the only other options were to extend the U.N. mandate that expires at the end of the year or continue without a formal agreement, neither of which holds much appeal to Iraqis.
He said an agreement would last one or two years and urged Iraqi officials to finalize it by the end of July.
Source: AP News