The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
be put to
the vote on 26 November. If unsuccessful, the US was expected to
press
Prime Minister
Maliki to take forward renewal of the Security Council
resolution.
257.
Lt Gen Cooper
had recently discussed the UK SOFA with Gen Odierno, who
had
agreed to
raise the UK agreement with Prime Minister Maliki if the US
equivalent was
agreed by
Parliament. This was “a one shot weapon” and Lt Gen Cooper advised
that
“we need to
hold our nerve and let him judge the moment”.
258.
On 28
November, Mr Brown’s Assistant Private Secretary wrote to
Mr McDonald
to record a
discussion with Mr Brown on the UK/Iraq SOFA two days
previously.99
In
the
discussion,
those present had “noted that the US SOFA was being considered by
the
Council of
Representatives”. Before the note was circulated, the US SOFA had
passed.
Attention
was now expected to turn to the UK SOFA.
259.
The Assistant
Private Secretary reported that Mr Brown said he had been
clear
with Prime
Minister Maliki that the UK would not leave until the job was done,
but he
thought
that Prime Minister Maliki wanted a fixed end point in the SOFA.
Mr Brown
directed
that Mr McDonald should visit Prime Minister Maliki on his
behalf and “negotiate
a SOFA with
combat authorities – initially offering May, but with a fall-back
to March if
necessary”.
260.
In an update
on Afghanistan and Iraq on 28 November, Cabinet Office officials
told
Mr Brown
that the Iraqi Parliament had approved the US SOFA the previous
day, but had
also
ordered a referendum on it by the end of July 2009.100
If the
Agreement was voted
down, the
US would have 12 months to leave Iraq.
261.
It was looking
increasingly unlikely that the UK SOFA would be agreed
before
the Iraqi
Parliament rose on 22 December. That left a risk that the UK would
need
to suspend
combat operations from the end of 2008 until a SOFA was
approved.
Mr McDonald
was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Maliki on 1 or 2
December.
262.
The update
also recorded that “Basra remains calm and stable, with no
attacks
on UK
forces for seven weeks”.
263.
On 1 December,
Lt Gen Cooper reported to ACM Stirrup that he had spoken
once
again to
Gen Odierno about the UK SOFA.101
Gen Odierno
planned to raise the issue
with Prime
Minister Maliki that evening if the moment was right.
Mr McDonald would
meet Gen
Odierno beforehand, and then see Prime Minister Maliki the
following day.
99
Minute
Catsaras to McDonald, 28 November 2008, ‘Iraq/SOFA’.
100
Minute
Cabinet Office [junior official] to Prime Minister, 28 November
2008, ‘Afghanistan and Iraq;
Update’.
101
Minute
Cooper to CDS, 1 December 2008, ‘SBMR-I’s Weekly Report (329) 1 Dec
08’.
424