Bush pledges on Iraq bases a ruse
By Gareth Porter
Asia Times
WASHINGTON - Two key pledges made by the George W Bush administration on military bases in its negotiations with the government of Iraq have now been revealed as carefully worded ruses aimed at concealing US negotiating aims from both US citizens and Iraqis who would object to them if they were made clear.
The talks are intended to establish the legal conditions under which US troops will remain in Iraq after their United Nations mandate expires at the end this year.
Recent statements by Iraqis familiar with US demands in negotiations on the US-Iraq "strategic framework" agreement have highlighted the fact that administration promises that it would not seek "permanent bases" or the use of bases to attack Iran or any other neighboring countries were deliberately misleading. The wording used by the Bush administration appears to have been chosen to obscure its intention to have both long-term access to Iraqi bases and complete freedom to use them to launch operations against Iran and Syria.
When Defense Secretary Robert Gates first informed the public about US aims in negotiating on January 24, he renounced the aim of "permanent bases" in Iraq. Gates said the US-Iraq agreement "would not involve - we have no interest in permanent bases". The same day, State Department spokesman Tom Casey, asked if the agreement would include any reference to "permanent bases", replied, "We're not seeking permanent bases in Iraq. That's been a clear matter of policy for some time."
Casey went on to say, "No, the agreement is not a basing agreement."
(Continued here.)
Asia Times
WASHINGTON - Two key pledges made by the George W Bush administration on military bases in its negotiations with the government of Iraq have now been revealed as carefully worded ruses aimed at concealing US negotiating aims from both US citizens and Iraqis who would object to them if they were made clear.
The talks are intended to establish the legal conditions under which US troops will remain in Iraq after their United Nations mandate expires at the end this year.
Recent statements by Iraqis familiar with US demands in negotiations on the US-Iraq "strategic framework" agreement have highlighted the fact that administration promises that it would not seek "permanent bases" or the use of bases to attack Iran or any other neighboring countries were deliberately misleading. The wording used by the Bush administration appears to have been chosen to obscure its intention to have both long-term access to Iraqi bases and complete freedom to use them to launch operations against Iran and Syria.
When Defense Secretary Robert Gates first informed the public about US aims in negotiating on January 24, he renounced the aim of "permanent bases" in Iraq. Gates said the US-Iraq agreement "would not involve - we have no interest in permanent bases". The same day, State Department spokesman Tom Casey, asked if the agreement would include any reference to "permanent bases", replied, "We're not seeking permanent bases in Iraq. That's been a clear matter of policy for some time."
Casey went on to say, "No, the agreement is not a basing agreement."
(Continued here.)
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