John McCain makes surprise visit to Baghdad

Iraq-McCain BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Former U.S. presidential candidate John McCain made a surprise visit to Iraq on Monday and discussed with Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi the U.S. troop withdrawal agreement, according to a statement released from al-Hashemi’s office. “Al-Hashemi received at his office in Baghdad Republican Senator John McCain and discussed with him issues if common interest and the security pact between the two sides,” said the statement received by IraqiNews.com. The Iraqi parliament on Thursday had passed SOFA with a majority of 149 out of 198 members who attended the session. The agreement legalizes the presence of 150,000 U.S. troops after a UN mandate for the United States to intervene in Iraq is due to expire at the end of this year. SH (P)/SR 1