Thursday, September 22, 2011
Iraqis still arguing over size of the Imperial outpost
Now it is the budget that is causing problems.
Budget battles are the latest roadblock delaying a decision by Baghdad on how many U.S. troops it might request stay in Iraq, although a top government official predicts the American military will remain as a training force beyond a year-end departure deadline.You guys in Iraq have got to get serious. And you seriously don't want any of us to remain in Iraq after year end. We never leave. If you don't believe us, just ask Germany or Japan.
Deputy Prime Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said there’s no way to estimate how many troops would be asked to stay, or what exactly they will be doing, until parliament passes its $110 billion spending plan for 2012.
Iraq’s Cabinet could tentatively sign off on the budget as early as next week, but parliament has until the end of the year to approve it.
“We are on a very tight budget,” al-Shahristani said in an Associated Press interview Tuesday. But once the spending plan is settled, “then the Cabinet, and then I expect also the parliament, will approve that training program along with the purchase of the equipment.”
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