The U.S. military has warned Iraq that it will shut down military operations and other vital services throughout the country on Jan. 1 if the Iraqi government doesn't agree to a new agreement on the status of U.S. forces or a renewed United Nations mandate for the American mission in Iraq.
Many Iraqi politicians view the move as akin to political blackmail, a top Iraqi official told McClatchy Sunday.
In addition to halting all military actions, U.S. forces would cease activities that support Iraq’s economy, educational sector and other areas _ "everything" _ said Tariq al Hashimi, the country's Sunni Muslim vice president. "I didn't know the Americans are rendering such wide-scale services."
The article goes on to indicate that one of the biggest sticking points isn't Iraqi oil revenues or purple thumbs or women's right or democracy or when US troops leave or future bases in the country; it's immunity from prosecution for private contractors in the country who have been accused of killing Iraqi citizens.
You can't make this stuff up.
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