SOFA Agreement Update
As you all know there will be a referendum to be held before 30 June and some circles say before 31 July 2009 for the SOFA agreement. One of the reasons the SOFA was signed and approved by the Iraqi Presidency Council is the Iraqi governments were guaranteed a referendum a vote by the Iraqi people within six months. The Iraqi people will decide if the U.S. Agreement is for them or not.
If the Iraqi referendum goes against the SOFA agreement then the Iraqi government according to SOFA Agreement Article 30 Para 2 can cancel the agreement and in one year U.S. Forces have to leave Iraq.
Interesting to note that this is 16 months roughly the same time obama had said when he would like to withdraw forces from Iraq.
The SOFA Agreement will be referred next month January 2009 to the U.N. Council and U.S. Gov notified Baghdad of the their consent to release Iraq from UN Chapter 7. I am not saying that Iraq will be released from UN Chapter 7 next month it is that there is talk about it but nothing concrete.
Don’t be surprised if it goes all the way to next summer of 09 after the referendum vote to lift Chapter 7. and depending on the outcome. You pass the SOFA and will lift the Chapter 7 type of scenario. But what do I know it’s your world I am just here on leave.