Maliki now supports new U.S. troop deal, close aide says

[babylonsister]

Maliki now supports new U.S. troop deal, close aide says

By Leila Fadel | McClatchy Newspapers


BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has informed Iraq's presidency council that he now supports a security agreement with the United States, a Shiite Muslim legislator who's close to the premier said Friday.

Lawmaker Sami al Askari said that Maliki had declared his backing for the controversial accord at a meeting last week with Iraq’s president and vice presidents. The only person who dissented was the Sunni vice president, Tariq al Hashimi.

Askari said Maliki planned to address the nation in coming days to ask for the people's support of the agreement, which Iraqi officials now call the "withdrawal agreement."

This would represent an about-face for the Shiite prime minister, who was a hard-line holdout throughout the negotiations and had publicly criticized early drafts of the agreement.

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[Aslanspal]

1. Good!

If Obama can increas a "Peace quotient" in the region and broker a deal with Syria and Iran then we may beat his deadline of getting out of there.

11 billion a month and blood is not worth it anymore.