Iraq Pact

Iraq's cabinet approved a security pact to keep U.S. troops in the country another three years. The agreement goes now to the parliament, where it seems likely to win approval.

The United Nations mandate under which American troops were operating lapses at the end of the year. If we hadn't reached an agreement with the Iraqis, our troops no longer would have been able to operate in the country. The negotiations were long, complex, and highly controversial within Iraq. That they were successfully concluded is a blow to the schemers in Iran — and to their cat's-paw, Moqtada al-Sadr — who did all they could to torpedo the pact.

	Iraqi lawmakers vote on US security pact Wednesday	Associated Press	Sun Nov 16	29
	A pact with the devil	Asia Times	Mon Nov 17	0