Odierno on SOFA Deadlines – Psyche!

Gosh, what’s it been … two, three weeks since we heard all about the passage of the SOFA (and nothing about the signing of the separate Strategic Forces Agreement) and already its turning out not to be worth the paper it’s written on. (Of course, we have no idea what its written on since no one actually showed it to us – or to the Iraqi people.)

Remember all those stories about how US forces – under the SOFA – had to withdraw to bases by the end of June 2009 – well our Commander in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno has other plans:

… Odierno said that the pullback from Iraqi cities applied only to combat troops, not to trainers, advisers or other support troops.

“So we will continue to provide assistance with transition teams. We will still provide enablers to security forces. They are unable to provide those to themselves,” he said. The joint security stations, which have served as combat outposts in the cities, is “where we’ll provide them all the enablers,” he said…Odierno declined to say how many US troops would be assigned to the transition teams, and what percentage of the 146,000-strong US force they would represent.

Along with announcing his "Enablers" plans, Odierno raised doubts about the 2011 deadline:

But General Odierno said Saturday, as Pentagon officials have said previously, that the agreement might be renegotiated with the Iraqi government.

“Three years is a very long time,” General Odierno told reporters. (h/t Cernig)

Maybe he’s been hanging out with Dr Ali al Dabbagh, Maliki’s spokesman who was sent to Washington this week to discuss the SOFA and meet with advisors to the incoming administration. At a Pentagon presser, al Dabbagh said:

"We do understand that the Iraqi military is not going to get built out in the three years. We do need many more years. It might be 10 years."

Of course, al Maliki quickly called Dabbagh’s statement “only his personal point of view” and said “it doesn’t represent the opinion of the Iraqi government” (after all, it was only Maliki’s official spokesman at a formal press briefing) — but Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who was in Baghdad apparently had nothing to say about Odierno’s plans to break the SOFA before it even begins. I’m guessing that’s why Bush was happy to sign it this morning – before the shoes started flying.

PS – Don’t miss Gareth Porter’s Special Series at IPS on Iran – Part one is here and Jamal Dajani’s great piece here.

Update on Muthathar al Zaida from McClatchy:

Another Iraqi journalist yanked Zaidi to the ground before bodyguards collapsed on Zaidi and held him there while he yelled "Killer of Iraqis, killer of children." From the bottom of the pile, he moaned loudly and said "my hand, my hand."

Zaidi was hauled to a separate room, where his cries remained audible for a few moments.

It wasn’t clear whether Zaidi was hurt. His employer, Cairo-based Baghdadiyah Television, released a statement late Sunday demanding Zaidi’s release from Iraqi custody.

"Any action taken against Muntathar will remind us of the actions and behaviors taken by the reign of the dictator and the violence, the random arrests, the mass graves and confiscations of freedom from the people," the board of Baghdadiyah said.

Friends said Zaidi covered the U.S. bombing of Baghdad’s Sadr City area earlier this year and had been "emotionally influenced" by the destruction he’d seen. They also said he’d been kidnapped in 2007 and held for three days by Shiite Muslim gunmen…

Two other Iraqi journalists were briefly detained after the press conference. An Iraqi security guard hauled them away because one of them called Zaidi’s actions "courageous." They were released. One of them said American officials helped free them.

Hubris Sonic has a suggestion for anyone who might have some extra old shoes – check it out here. Suggested message care of Fighting Liberals:

"Footing the Bill for The Bush Presidency -in honor of our brothers and sister in Iraq"

Raed in the Middle has organized a petition on behalf of al Zaida - please sign! 

Related posts:

1. Remember Iraq or Ray Odierno is Still Wrong
2. Odierno and Petraeus vs. Cheney on Abuse as a Terrorist Recruitment Tool
3. The End of the Delusion in Iraq
4. In Iraq, As in So Many Contexts, Withdrawal is Victory
5. Torture: Obama Heeded Maliki on Abuse Photos, Says McClatchy; What That Says for Our Occupation