If this has already been blogged I apologize. I just read today that the Bush/Cheney are trying to force the Iraqi government to sign a security arrangement that allows the United States to maintain possession of 50 permanent bases in Iraq. Another part of the deal grants immunity to US forces and contractors from prosecution. According to the British Independent:
"The terms of the impending deal, details of which have been leaked to The Independent, are likely to have an explosive political effect in Iraq. Iraqi officials fear that the accord, under which US troops would occupy permanent bases, conduct military operations, arrest Iraqis and enjoy immunity from Iraqi law, will destabilise Iraq's position in the Middle East and lay the basis for unending conflict in their country".
According to the article the another intent of the agreement is to allow Bush to declare "victory" in Iraq while simultaneously uncutting Obama pledge to get us the hell out of there.
"But the accord also threatens to provoke a political crisis in the US. President Bush wants to push it through by the end of next month so he can declare a military victory and claim his 2003 invasion has been vindicated. But by perpetuating the US presence in Iraq, the long-term settlement would undercut pledges by the Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama, to withdraw US troops if he is elected president in November."
http://www.independent.co.uk/...
This is the gist of the article. Read it and weep. Personally I was infuriated when I read this. In essence Bush will declare "victory" by not changing a thing. Our troops will still be over there and dying, we’ll still be spending billions on military operations and contractors and it forces the next president to either to stay put or renage on a US security agreement. It is almost inconceivable to believe that any US Administration could be so selfish, so vain, so morally twisted, so cynical to attempt to declare victory in the middle of defeat and then commit the NEXT president to the same path of destruction.