I hear lately that if your hair is not on fire, you are not paying attention. My hair is frequently on fire these days. The most recent source of heat is the lack of an Agreement on Forces regarding our troops that are stationed in Iraq, and the lack of attention paid to it by most Americans. 

 

The United Nations Authorization for American Troops to be in Iraq expires at the end of this year. Unless an agreement is reached we will have our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers in a foreign land with no authorization to be there. They may well be then subject to arrest and trial at the hands of the Iraqi people as we will become unauthorized invaders of a sovereign nation.

 

A tentative agreement was reached between the United States and Prime Minister Al Maliki to give our troops the authority to stay past Jan. 31, 2008. This agreement allowed for immunity for our troops but no immunity for private contractors such as Blackwater, KBR and others. Prime Minister Al Maliki then called for the Iraqi Parliament to meet and vote on this agreement.

 

What he got in response was the equivalent of a "Thanks But No Thanks" for that tentative agreement, the members of Parliament don't even want to meet to discuss it. That appears to be a strong hint we have overstayed our welcome. I've heard lots of talk about how pulling the troops out on an 18-month time line would be a logistical nightmare – what if we have to do it by the end of the year? Russia has confirmed (at least as of 10/22) that they would vote in the affirmative if this issue were brought back before the United Nations Security Council. This should come as no surprise to anyone, Russia is most happy to see us tied up in Iraq.

 

Are you smelling smoke yet?

Donna Christopher lives in Lucerne. Her two sons are serving overseas.

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