Politics and Culture

Iraq to offer US long-term presence

November 27, 2007 - 7:54AM

Iraq's government is prepared to offer the US a long-term troop presence in Iraq and preferential treatment for American investments in return for an American guarantee of long-term security including defence against internal coups.

The proposal, described to The Associated Press by two senior officials familiar with the issue, is one of the first indications that the United States and Iraq are beginning to explore what their relationship might look like, once the US significantly draws down its troop presence.

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In Washington, US President George W Bush's adviser on the Iraqi war, Lt Gen Douglas Lute, confirmed the proposal, calling it "a set of principles from which to begin formal negotiations".

As part of the package, the Iraqis want an end to the current UN-mandated multinational forces mission, and also an end to all UN-ordered restrictions on Iraq's sovereignty, the two Iraqi officials said.

Iraq has been living under some form of UN restriction since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the officials said.

American troops and other foreign forces now operate in Iraq under a UN Security Council mandate, which has been renewed annually since 2003. Iraqi officials have said they want that next renewal - which must be approved by the UN Security Council by the end of this year - to be the last.

Preferential treatment for US investors could provide a huge windfall if Iraq can achieve enough stability to exploit its vast oil resources.

Such a deal would also enable the United States to maintain leverage against Iranian expansion at a time of growing fears about Tehran's nuclear aspirations.

The two senior Iraqi officials said Iraqi authorities had discussed the broad outlines of the proposal with US military and diplomatic representatives. The Americans appeared generally favourable subject to negotiations on the details.

At the White House, Lute said the new agreement was not binding.

"It's not a treaty, but it's rather a set of principles from which to begin formal negotiations," Lute said. "Think of today's agreement as setting the agenda for the formal bilateral negotiations."