Image from LawconsbdAdventures in ROE: Waiting on the Lawyers -- Captain's Journal
In Prosecution of U.S. Troops Under Iraq SOFA we broadly outlined some problems we have with the draft Status of Forces Agreement awaiting Iraqi parliament approval. Review of the draft SOFA raises even more questions and forces the conclusion that things could very well be worse than first suspected. A few examples are in order, followed by a review of international lawyer hand-wringing over Somalian pirates.
Article 3 [1] sets the context for review of the agreement: “All members of the U.S. armed forces and civilian members must follow Iraqi laws, customs, traditions, and agreements while conducting military operations in accordance to this agreement. They must also avoid any activities that do not agree with the text and spirit of this agreement. It is the responsibility of the U.S. to take all necessary measures to ensure this.”
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My Comment: Read the whole thing. The Captain's Journal sums up this situation better than what I can possibly do.