The U.S. has been involved in military operations in Iraq since March of 2003. Congress has several tools by which to exercise oversight regarding negotiation, form, conclusion, and implementation of agreements by the U.S. The agreements with Iraq were negotiated and concluded as executive agreements and entered into force on Jan. 1, 2009, and yet there remain many unanswered questions about the specific terms within the Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA). This report discusses the historical legal framework governing U.S. military operations in Iraq and then provides a general background as to the content of agreements traditionally considered SOFAs. Also discusses specific aspects of the SOFA.
The U.S. has been party to multilateral and bilateral agreements addressing the status of U.S. armed forces while present in a foreign country. This report discusses these agreements, commonly referred to as Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs), which generally establish the framework under which U.S. military personnel operate in a foreign country, addressing how the domestic laws of the foreign jurisdiction shall be applied toward U.S. personnel while in that country. A SOFA may include many provisions, but the most common issue addressed is which country may exercise criminal jurisdiction over U.S. personnel. The U.S. is currently party to more than 100 agreements that may be considered SOFAs. Includes a list of current agreements.
The U.S. has been involved in military operations in Iraq since March of 2003. The legal framework under which the U.S. has operated includes H.J. Res. 114 (P.L. 107-243), multiple Security Council Resolutions, as well as orders under the Coalition Provisional Authority. The U.N. Security Council extended the mandate for the multinational forces through December 31, 2008. On November 26, 2007, U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Kamel Al-Maliki signed a Declaration of Principles for a Long-Term Relationship of Cooperation and Friendship Between the Republic of Iraq and the United States of America. Pursuant to this Declaration, the parties pledged to begin as soon as possible, with the aim to achieve, before July 31, 2008, agreements between the two governments with respect to the political, cultural, economic, and security spheres. Among other things, the Declaration proclaims the parties intention to enter an agreement that would commit the United States to provide security assurances to Iraq, arm and train Iraqi security forces, and confront Al Qaeda and other terrorist entities within Iraqi territory. On November 17, 2008, after months of negotiations, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and Iraq Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari signed two documents: (1) the Strategic Framework Agreement for a Relationship of Friendship and Cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Iraq, and (2) the Agreement Between the United States of America and Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States Forces from Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities during Their Temporary Presence in Iraq. The second agreement is commonly referred to as the SOFA between the United States and Iraq and is incorporated by reference into the larger strategic agreement.
Presents the findings of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which was formed in 2006 to examine the situation in Iraq and offer suggestions for the American military's future involvement in the region.
Ending the U.S. war in Iraq required redeploying 100,000 military and civilian personnel; handing off responsibility for 431 activities to the Iraqi government, U.S. embassy, USCENTCOM, or other U.S. government entities; and moving or transferring ownership of over a million pieces of property in accordance with U.S. and Iraqi laws, national policy, and DoD requirements. This book examines the planning and execution of this transition.
Former senator George McGovern and William R. Polk, a leading authority on the Middle East, offer a detailed plan for a speedy troop withdrawal from Iraq. During the phased withdrawal, to begin on December 31, 2006, and to be completed by June 30, 2007, they recommend that the Iraq government engage the temporary services of an international stabilization force to police the country. Other elements in the withdrawal plan include an independent accounting of American expenditures of Iraqi funds, reparations to Iraqi civilians for lives lost and property destroyed, immediate release of all prisoners of war, the closing of American detention centers, and offering to void all contracts for petroleum exploration, development, and marketing made during the American occupation.
Iraq and the US face a critical transition during the period through 2011 and beyond. There is still a war to finish, but this is only part of the challenge both countries face. No one can be certain whether Iraq can achieve a stable level of political accommodation to deal with its internal problems. Iran seeks to expand it's influence, and Turkey will not tolerate a sanctuary for hostile Kurdish movements like the PKK. Arab support for Iraq remains weak, and Iraq's Arab neighbors fear both Shi'ite dominance and what that could mean in terms of Iran's role in Syria and Lebanon as well as Iraq. Even if it moves forward towards stability and political accommodation and largely ends the insurgency, it will be extremely difficult for Iraq to develop all of the security capabilities it needs for even the counterinsurgency mission before the full US withdrawal scheduled to take place by the end of 2011. This could force the US to hand over responsibility to the Iraqi Security Forces before these forces are fully able to do the job. It could also force the US to withdraw prematurely the US trainers and partner units that the IRS needs to secure the country and defend it from any threat from it's neighbors. ... Dealing with these issues will be a critical priority for the US for at least half a decade to come.
This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. Contents: (1) International Agreements Under U.S. Law: Treaties; Executive Agreements (EA): Congressional-EA; EA Made Pursuant to Treaties; Sole EA; Nonlegal Agreements; Choosing Between a Treaty and EA; (2) Historical Practice Regarding Security Agreements (SA): Categories of SA: Collective Defense Agreements/¿Security Commitments¿; Arrangements¿; Other Types of Military Agreements; Agreements Granting the Legal Right to Military Intervention; Non-Binding SA; Examples of Bilateral SA: Afghanistan; Iraq; Germany; Japan; South Korea; Philippines; (3) Congressional Oversight; Notification Pursuant to the Case-Zablocki Act, and Circular 175 Procedures; Consultation; Approval, Rejection, or Conditional Approval of EA.
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), the U.S.-led coalition military operation in Iraq, was launched on March 20, 2003, with the goal of removing Saddam Hussein¿s regime and destroying its ability to use weapons of mass destruction. The focus of OIF has shifted from regime removal to helping the Gov¿t. of Iraq improve security, establish a system of governance, and foster economic development. This report addresses these policy issues: Identifying how U.S. national interests and strategic objectives, in Iraq and the region, should guide further U.S. engagement; Monitoring and evaluating the impact of the changes in the U.S. presence and role in Iraq; and Laying the groundwork for a traditional bilateral relationship. Map. A print on demand report.
A Wall Street Journal Best Nonfiction Book of 2012 In this follow-up to their national bestseller Cobra II, Michael Gordon and General Bernard E. Trainor deftly piece together the story of the most widely reported but least understood war in American history. This stunning account of the political and military struggle between American, Iraqi, and Iranian forces brings together vivid reporting of diplomatic intrigue and gripping accounts of the blow-by-blow fighting that lasted nearly a decade. Informed by brilliant research, classified documents, and extensive interviews with key figures—including everyone from the intelligence community to Sunni and Shi’ite leaders and former insurgents to senior Iraqi military officers—The Endgame presents a riveting chronicle of the occupation of Iraq to the withdrawal of American troops that is sure to remain the essential account of the war for years to come.
