A Time for Change

Bush with Iraqi president Jala Talibani

Bush made an unannounced visit to Iraq where he will meet with Iraqi leaders and US troops.  This is said to be part of his “legacy-building” farewell tour, at the taxpayer’s expense of course.  

Bush’s trip to Iraq was to celebrate the conclusion of security pact with Iraq, called the Strategic Framework Agreement and the Status of Forces Agreement.

The pact changes some of the terms of a United Nations mandate that allows the U.S.-led coalition to hold military operations and detain people without charge if they are suspected to be security threats. It also calls for all U.S. troops to be withdrawn, in two stages, by the end of 2011.

The agreement — which stresses respect for Iraqi sovereignty — “requests the temporary assistance” of U.S. forces, but severely restricts their role. The pact says that all military operations are to be carried out with the agreement of Iraq and must be “fully coordinated” with Iraqis. A Joint Military Operations Coordination Committee will oversee military operations.

Of course, while Bush is gallivanting across the globe to buttress the legacy he hopes to have, there is no news as to what, if anything will be done to help US automakers.  Significantly, Spain has offered money to GM to keep a manufacturing plant open there.  British authorities have sought to determine what they could do.  Curiously silent is our globetrotting lame duck.