Mandate to Expire

Robert Jordan/11:14/1-25-08

The NY Times, in an article by Shanker and Myers, reportred today that the President and cabinet have started taking action in consideration to our current role and future in Iraq. With the UN mandate set to expire in only 11 months, a new draft madnate has been in negotiation with the president and Iraqi leaders. Currently the US military and civilian contractors have immunity from Iraqi law, and the US has authority to take Iraqi prisoners. The US is proposing that these conditions continue even after the UN mandate expires. However, in the wake of civilian Iraqi deaths at the hands of armed civilian security, the Iraqi government is hesitant to fully comply. Adding to the complexityof the situation, several prominant democrats have come forward in protest, stating that the new mandate is essentially a treaty which would require review and the approval of congress which was not sought by the administration. This also points to the reluctance of the administration to clearly map out an exit strategy for Iraq.
It is my opinion that this is yet another instance in which the president and his cabinet are trying to slip one more thing under the rug. This attempt to bypass congress and the american public regarding a very important step in our occupancy of Iraq shows the hidden agenda of the Bush administration. Should we promise military protection "from internal and external threats", we would be obligated to a minimum level of military occupation in a country that has been in war more than they have not. Unfortunately this means that the "war" in Iraq, at least for the US will not end anytime in the forseeable future.