Nujaifi statements on U.S. pullout misunderstood – MP
5/8/2011 7:09 PM
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Some misunderstood statements by parliament speaker Osama Nujaifi on the responsibility of the government for the staying or departure of U.S.
forces, according to a member of parliament from al-Iraqiya bloc on Sunday.
“The extension of the U.S.
forces’ mandate cannot be made without a decision to be submitted by the government to parliament, where it would be debated and voted by its members,” Zuhair al-A’raji told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
A'raji added that "the statements were misunderstood because the government cannot take such decision without resorting to the parliament.”
He added "the misunderstanding occurred when they thought that Nujaifi authorized the government to take the necessary decision by virtue of the security agreement without referring to the parliament."
A'raji wondered whether the Iraqi government and its security organs were ready to shoulder the responsibility following the withdrawal of U.S.
troops.
"That was the significance of Nujaifi’s statements," he confirmed.
He pointed out that the withdrawal "is fixed" because the Iraqis "refuse the presence of U.S.
forces," which is "identical with al-Iraqiya bloc’s viewpoint,” he clarified.
Meanwhile, lawmaker Maha al-Douri of al-Ahrar bloc, an offshoot of the Sadrist Movement, described Nujaifi's statements as "an attempt to evade responsibility and throw the ball in the government's court.”
RM (TS)/AmR
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