Legitimizing Permanent Occupation of Iraq
by Stephen Lendman / July 9th, 2008

Washington is currently negotiating two accords with the al-Maliki government to take effect after expiration of the UN’s military mandate on December 31. One agreement is for a long-term “strategic framework” to establish “cooperation in the political, economic, cultural and security fields.” Or, according to the administration, to defend Iraq’s “sovereignty and integrity of its territories, waters, and airspace.”

The other is a so-called “status of forces agreement” (SOFA) to provide legitimacy for the US occupation beginning January 1, 2009. Following the 2003 invasion, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1511. It officially recognized the “Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA)” and …

(Full article …)