re: #362 marjoriemoon

Right. Yea, the signature on that is weird. You’d think there’d be a seal maybe? or at least their names printed and a date. But ya, the timetable was started.

Found it!

Ryan Crocker

Iraqi Parliament Begins Debate
By Mary Beth Sheridan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 17, 2008; 9:59 AM

BAGHDAD, Nov. 17 — Top U.S. and Iraqi officials signed a pact Monday that would allow U.S. troops to remain in this country for three more years, and the Iraqi parliament began to debate the security agreement that took months to negotiate and must be approved by Iraq’s lawmakers in order to take effect. After months of tense negotiations and public protests, the Iraqi cabinet’s vote Sunday to approve the bilateral agreement was an indication that most major Iraqi parties support it. An Iraqi government spokesman portrayed the pact as closing the book on the occupation that began with the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

“The total withdrawal will be completed by December 31, 2011. This is not governed by circumstances on the ground,” the spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, told Iraqi reporters, pointedly rejecting the more conditional language that the U.S. government had sought in the accord.

…

On Monday, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker conducted a largely symbolic signing of the deal with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.

Image: PH2008111702056.jpg