Any US military stay is occupation – Ahrar Bloc

KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: The Sadrist affiliated Ahrar Trend‘s leading member and MP Jawad al-Hasnawi stated today that any agreement with the American side that stipulates an extension of their forces in Iraq will be regarded as new occupation, calling on the Iraqi government to abide by Iraqi public opinion and the text of the agreement that says the withdrawal shall be comprehensive.  Hasnawi told IraqiNews.com that “we hear announcements here and there on the stay of the U.S. forces, but we believe that any training or protection pretexts shall be regarded as new occupation.”  “As Al-Ahrar political bloc, we reject such a possibility,” he confirmed.  He called on the Iraqi government to listen to the public opinion.  The agreement signed between Iraq and the U.S. in 2008 stipulated the final withdrawal of American forces by the end of this year.  RM (TS)/SR 593