Bush's parting gift?Follow

Bush wants 50 military bases, control of Iraqi airspace and legal immunity for all American soldiers and contractors.

A secret deal being negotiated in Baghdad would perpetuate the American military occupation of Iraq indefinitely, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November.

The precise nature of the American demands has been kept secret until now. The leaks are certain to generate an angry backlash in Iraq. "It is a terrible breach of our sovereignty," said one Iraqi politician, adding that if the security deal was signed it would delegitimise the government in Baghdad which will be seen as an American pawn.

The US has repeatedly denied it wants permanent bases in Iraq but one Iraqi source said: "This is just a tactical subterfuge." Washington also wants control of Iraqi airspace below 29,000ft and the right to pursue its "war on terror" in Iraq, giving it the authority to arrest anybody it wants and to launch military campaigns without consultation.

Mr Bush is determined to force the Iraqi government to sign the so-called "strategic alliance" without modifications, by the end of next month. But it is already being condemned by the Iranians and many Arabs as a continuing American attempt to dominate the region.

Anyone talking about this in the US?

As much as people like to say the war was about oil, or a petty need to finish what was started in the 90's, or even a legitimate strike at what people genuinely percieved to be a threat to the United States, it was quite obvious that one of the main goals in the end was having a military presence in the ME that was not subject to the whims of the gov't of the country in which it was stationed. Afghanistan being landlocked was obviously not a good choice. Saudi Arabia while allies still had final say over what the US based on their soil did or did not do and could kick the US out if they wished. Iraq is central, access to the gulf etc.

There have been a number of former pentagon staff who have gone on the record talking about this, starting at the time of invasion and onwards.

Edited, Jun 5th 2008 10:29am by bodhisattva

since the Dems took congress of congress gas has increased nearly 2$ a gallon.

the bigger problem is 30+ years ago we did not tell OPEC to go jump in the lake and turn our back on them.

Yeah, that would have been a great idea in '78. The USSR would have become their primary source of income, Israel wouldn't exist, and we'd have had a sustained depression.

Genius.