Washington
24 July 2008
In testimony to a congressional committee, former Iraqi Prime MinisterAyad Allawi says the United States and Iraq are at a critical stage ofdeciding on a measured and responsible withdrawal of U.S. troops fromIraq. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill.
Allawiappeared before a House foreign affairs subcommittee that has heldhearings on the future of U.S. - Iraq relations, the latest on apossible extension of the U.N. mandate that expires at the end of 2008.
Sayingboth countries are attempting to construct what he calls a long-termproductive strategic relationship, Allawi said it is appropriate todiscuss a time frame for withdrawing U.S. forces. "As we think aboutmoving to the next stage of our relationship it is appropriate todiscuss a time frame for reduction of U.S. forces. But at the sametime, such reduction must be linked to measure of progress in Iraq andthe conditions prevailing in the country," he said.
Allawi describes security gains from the U.S military surge as fragile and possibly not sustainable.
Callingbilateral negotiations on status of forces and strategic accordsdeadlocked, he says it is unlikely the two sides will concludeagreements before the end of the year, adding an alternative will haveto be found involving the U.N. mandate:
"Extension of [the] U.N.Security Council resolution under Chapter 7 is an option but may beunacceptable in Iraq. A second options is a U.N. Security Councilresolution, but under Chapter 6. This options and its ramificationsneed to be studied very carefully because we are concerned about theprotection of Iraqi assets from claims by international creditors," hesaid.
Either option, he adds, would provide more time to workout more permanent agreements in a transparent and cooperative manner,but says the two sides are running against time.
Allawi hadthis response to a question from Democrat Russ Carnahan who asked whatit would take to have Iraq's parliament approve agreements:
CARNAHAN: What elements do you think need to be included in such an agreement forit to have enough support to pass in the Iraqi parliament?
ALLAWI: I frankly don't see any basic objection by the various constituenciesin the parliament as long as the agreements, the blueprint(s) of theagreement, is discussed in parliament. And this is unfortunately nothappening."
Allawi expressed surprise that U.S.-Iraq draftagreements have not come to Iraq's parliament, saying "you can't expectthe Iraqi parliament to approve of something they have not seen."
WhereIraq's military is concerned, Allawi describes training of forces as byand large a secondary issue. More important, he suggests, arequestions of sectarianism, which he describes as a serious problem,along with chain of command, and methods of recruitment.
Theformer Iraqi prime minister also expressed concern about the integrityand transparency of upcoming Iraqi provincial elections, and nationalelections in 2009, noting violence and irregularities in 2005.
Theseare some of the conditions [in Iraq], Allawi says, that should belinked to negotiations on a time frame for drawing down multinationalforces in Iraq.
Democrat William Delahunt told Allawi thatwhile the U.S. Congress recognizes responsibility to assist Iraqirefugees living outside the country, lawmakers are nonethelessdisappointed with what Delahunt called the minuscule amount the Iraqigovernment has devoted to the refugee issue.