Word: iraqi
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...long-term U.S. military presence in Iraq dimmed in July, when U.S. officials originally hoped to ink a deal. A number of issues complicated negotiations on the agreement, which is meant to replace the existing U.N. mandate giving legal cover for U.S. troops in Iraq. In Baghdad, U.S. and Iraqi negotiators have struggled over questions such as immunity for U.S. troops and contractors and whether American forces would be allowed to arrest and detain Iraqi nationals. U.S. and Iraqi officials have repeatedly said a deal was near. Other reports have cited Iraqi officials saying a deal could be reached...
Sadr in the past has vowed to expand the humanitarian work of his movement but promised to maintain fighters from his Mahdi Army militia, which has fought against both the Iraqi government and U.S. forces. Al-Ubaidi's remarks effectively offered the strongest assurances yet that the Mahdi Army is willing to stand down entirely in Iraq, if American military forces back away...
...which prevents any movement on the central demand of his armed movement: U.S. withdrawal. The offer by Sadr, easily the nimblest player in the politics of violence practiced in Iraq, has effectively seated him at the negotiating table with the Americans despite his having broken with the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki...
...deals are likely anytime soon, however. Much of Iraq's political establishment will be effectively checked out for roughly the next two months, meaning any big decisions by the Iraqi government are unlikely. In Washington, President Bush is eager to formalize a deal, which would not have to be approved by lawmakers unlike in Iraq. But any big decisions about troop levels will come after Petraeus makes his final recommendations on the U.S. military presence in September, shortly before he takes on a new job as head of the U.S. forces across the Middle East. That leaves American and Iraqi...
...disparity between U.S. spending and Iraqi spending suggests that leadership in Baghdad would rather see outside powers foot the bill for the country's rehabilitation while saving windfall oil profits. Signs of Iraq's slowness to rebuild are everywhere in Baghdad. Roughly 20% of the city is without proper sewage pipes. Published statistics say the Baghdad is getting roughly 11 hours of electricity a day on average, but many residents go days with only sporadic bursts of power. Iraqi officials say fixing just this problem could take up to 10 years. Chronic electricity shortages for another decade mean little energy...