After Dec 31st, US has no legal authority to remain in Iraq

Oct 26, 2008
Senior Iraqi politicians have warned that a crucial deal between Baghdad and Washington governing the presence of American troops in the country is doomed to failure after eight months of talks.

“The Sofa (Status of Forces Agreement) is dead in the water,” said one Iraqi politician close to the talks. He added that Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, believed that signing it would be “political suicide”.

The collapse of the deal would severely undermine American policy. An agreement is needed to put America’s presence on a legal basis after the United Nations mandate for its 154,000 troops in Iraq expires on December 31.

Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, claimed last week that the deal was “mostly done”.

Open support for the American presence is seen as a vote-loser, even though most Iraqis tacitly acknowledge the need for troops to remain in the country until their own army can enforce order.

An unofficial poll of MPs last week revealed that the deal would fall far short of gaining majority support in parliament.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article5014584.ece

I contend that whatever is going to happen after U.S. forces leave will happen whether it's next year or five years from now. Why not just get it over with?

will go un-manned.
I do not see the Great Oil Party allowing that to happen.

Possible Maliki "suicide".

even if Maliki is suicided (horrors) what good would it do? The Iraqis want us o.u.t.