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Iraq cabinet backs US troops deal Iraq cabinet backs US troops deal
(about 2 hours later)
The Iraqi cabinet has approved a security pact with the US, a government minister and other officials have said. The Iraqi cabinet has approved a security pact with the US governing the future presence of 150,000 US troops in the country, officials have said.
The deal allows US troops to remain in the country for three more years, Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters news agency. Under the deal US troops will withdraw from the streets of Iraqi towns next year, leaving Iraq by the end of 2011.
The decision will need to go before Iraq's parliament for a final vote.The decision will need to go before Iraq's parliament for a final vote.
The two countries have been negotiating a bilateral deal over the future of US military forces in Iraq after their UN mandate expires on 31 December 2008.The two countries have been negotiating a bilateral deal over the future of US military forces in Iraq after their UN mandate expires on 31 December 2008.
In October, Iraq sent a new round of suggested changes to the draft Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), to which the US responded.In October, Iraq sent a new round of suggested changes to the draft Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), to which the US responded.
Washington had previously said the pact was "final" and could not be amended.Washington had previously said the pact was "final" and could not be amended.
There are currently about 150,000 US troops deployed in Iraq.There are currently about 150,000 US troops deployed in Iraq.
The Iraqi cabinet approved the pact after a two-and-a-half hour meeting, a government official said. Deal struck
Government spokesman Ali Dabbagh said all but one of the 28 ministers present had voted in favour of the pact, according to the Associated Press news agency. The Iraqi cabinet approved the pact after a two-and-a-half hour meeting, government spokesman Ali Dabbagh said.
He said he expected the agreement to be submitted to Iraq's parliament later on Sunday, but did not say when the body would vote on it. All but one of the 28 ministers present had voted in favour of the pact, he added, the Associated Press news agency reported.
According to Mr Dabbagh, the agreement's terms include:
  • Placing US force in Iraq under the authority of the Iraqi government
  • US forces to leave the streets of Iraq's towns and villages by the middle of 2009
  • US forces to hand over their bases to Iraq during the course of 2009
  • US forces to lose the authority to raid Iraqi homes without an order from an Iraqi judge and permission of the government.
The agreement is set to be submitted to Iraq's parliament later on Sunday, but it is not clear when the body will vote on it.
It then needs to be ratified by Iraq's presidential council before Prime Minister Nouri Maliki can sign the deal with US President George W Bush.
We don't want an agreement with America. We don't want an agreement with Israel... We fully and totally reject this security pact Baghdad citizen Rasheed al-Jumali
The BBC's Bob Trevelyan says that Mr Maliki has been trying to build support for the amended pact and the main Shia and Kurdish alliances in parliament have recently agreed to back it.
He also appears to have persuaded the country's most senior Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, not to oppose it publicly.
The cleric is highly influential in Iraq's Shia community. Any public criticism of the pact by him would probably have stopped it winning parliamentary approval, our correspondent says.
Iraqi officials say failure to pass the agreement would be highly damaging for Iraqi security.
US officials have said it would mean suspending their operations in Iraq.
Speaking before Sunday's meeting, Iraq's lead negotiator, Muwafaq al-Rubaie, said he believed the draft agreement was a "very good text" and he expected it to be approved by parliament as well.Speaking before Sunday's meeting, Iraq's lead negotiator, Muwafaq al-Rubaie, said he believed the draft agreement was a "very good text" and he expected it to be approved by parliament as well.
The draft agreement calls for US troops to pull out of Iraqi cities by June 2009 and from the entire country by the end of 2011. Protest call
But the pact has drawn fire from hardline nationalists, especially Iraq's influential Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr, whose supporters have called for mass demonstrations to oppose any agreement with the US "occupier".But the pact has drawn fire from hardline nationalists, especially Iraq's influential Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr, whose supporters have called for mass demonstrations to oppose any agreement with the US "occupier".
On the streets of Baghdad there was a mixed reaction to the pact.
''We don't want an agreement with America," said Rasheed al-Jumali.
"We don't want an agreement with Israel. We don't want an agreement with Iran. They (the government) should work towards reinforcing the gallant Iraqi army. We fully and totally reject this security pact.''
But Mun'am al-Abadi backed the government, adding: "The Iraqi government knows its people well. We are oppressed people. If the security agreement benefits us, we accept it completely.''
Sunday's cabinet meeting began shortly after a roadside bomb killed three people and wounded seven near a checkpoint in north Baghdad. At least seven others were wounded.
Two of those killed were members of Sunni militias largely made up of former insurgents, who have allied themselves with US and Iraqi forces to fight Al-Qaeda.
Correspondents say the militias have played a key role in improving security in Iraq.