9.7 | May
2008 to October 2009
248.
In an update
on Iraq for Mr Brown on 14 November, Cabinet Office
officials
reported
that Prime Minister Maliki remained reluctant to agree to the
continuing UK
combat role
that the MOD judged essential for training 14
Division.93
249.
Although the
US SOFA text had reportedly been agreed between Prime
Minister
Maliki and
President Bush, it had yet to be approved by the Iraqi Parliament,
suggesting
that: “By
December, the US may still be trying to get its SOFA while
warming-up the UN
Security
Council Resolution track.” US lobbying on the UK’s behalf was
unlikely while its
own
negotiations remained difficult.
250.
More
positively, the security situation remained “promising”, 14
Division was
“operating
increasingly independently”, Basra Airport would be ready to hand
over
“within
weeks”, the Iraqi Electoral Commission had announced that
provincial elections
would be
held on 31 January 2009 and Mr Alexander had announced the
Basra
Investment
Commission ahead of schedule.
251.
The update
also said that, although AQ-I continued to pose a threat in Iraq,
Basra
remained
calm, with no attacks on the UK Base for more than 40 days. That
was “the
longest
unbroken period of calm since January 2006”.
252.
On 16
November, the BBC reported that the Iraqi Cabinet had approved a
“security
pact” with
the US, under which its troops would withdraw from the streets of
Iraqi towns
in 2009 and
leave Iraq by the end of 2011.94
An Iraqi
Government spokesman also said
that the
agreement placed US forces under the authority of the Iraqi
Government and
that they
would need its permission, and that of a Judge, to raid homes. US
forces would
also hand
over their bases to Iraq during 2009.
253.
In a televised
statement on the agreement, Prime Minister Maliki explained that
the
Iraqi
Government had “reservations” about the agreement, but saw it as “a
solid prelude
to the
restoration of Iraq’s full sovereignty in three years’
time”.95
254.
Maj Gen Salmon
reported on 23 November that a call by Muqtada al Sadr at
Friday
prayers for
“increased opposition” to the SOFA had been
“ignored”.96
There had
instead
been a
“pro-SOFA demonstration”.
255.
In Baghdad,
however, the BBC reported that “thousands of people” had
responded
to
al-Sadr’s call and protested in Firdous Square.97
256.
On 24
November, Lt Gen Cooper reported to ACM Stirrup that the “only
political
game in
Baghdad at the moment is that surrounding the US
SOFA”.98
The
progress
of the SOFA
through the Council of Representatives had been “colourful” but it
would
93
Minute
Cabinet Office [junior official] to Prime Minister, 14 November
2008, ‘Iraq: Update’.
94
BBC
News, 16
November 2008, Iraq
cabinet backs US troops deal.
95
BBC
News, 18
November 2008, Iraq leader
defends US troop deal.
96
Minute
Salmon to CJO, 23 November 2008, ‘GOC MND(SE) Weekly Letter – 23
November 2008’.
97
BBC
News, 21
November 2008, Iraqis
protest against troop deal.
98
Minute
Cooper to CDS, 24 November 2008, ‘SBMR-I’s Weekly Report (328) 24
Nov 08’.
423