Iraqi paper warns of coming difficult stage

BAGHDAD, Sept. 20 (Iraqi News) – A Baghdad-based newspaper on Saturday warned of what it described as the coming difficult stage in Iraq, with other newspapers focusing on the security situation in the country in light of the recent escalation of violence in the capital Baghdad. Al-Iraq newspaper, an independent daily, published an article entitled ‘Next scary stage’ by Bilal al-Shamri in which he highlighted Iraqi politicians’ concerns about the next stage in the country amid evidence of a future deterioration in the security situation following the collapse of negotiations over the security agreement with Washington. The author believes that the future political situation in Iraq is closely related to the security agreement that is scheduled to take place between the U.S. administration and the Iraqi government. A declaration of principles was signed between U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in December 2007. The declaration was scheduled to be ratified on July 31, 2008 and to come into force as of January 1, 2009. The agreement governs the presence of U.S. forces in the country after 2008 and will not come into force without the approval of the Iraqi Parliament, which has 275 members from five blocs, in addition to the Sadrist movement and al-Fadhila party. The U.S. troops’ presence currently relies on a mandate by the United Nations and is annually renewed at the request of the Iraqi government. Meanwhile, the government-funded al-Sabah newspaper devoted its editorial to the return of violence in the Iraqi capital. The author of the article, Fallah al-Mashaal, who is also the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, urged the security apparatus to provide a convincing explanation as to who is behind the recent bombings that rocked the capital a few days ago and left scores of people killed or wounded.   SS (S) 1