U.S. Weighs U.N. Option To Remain In Iraq -- Washington TimesShifts strategy after Baghdad crosses 'red lines' in proposal
The Bush administration is looking to the U.N. Security Council to extend a mandate for U.S. troops to remain in Iraq beyond Dec. 31 - a move that would require Iraqi government cooperation but not Iraqi acceptance of a bilateral accord with Washington.
The shift in strategy follows the Iraqi government's submission last week of several proposed changes a draft status of forces agreement (SOFA) being negotiated with the U.S.
Several of the proposed amendments, U.S. officials said, "crossed red lines."
"A Security Council extension is our fallback option," one official said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to speak for attribution. "Our preference is to have a status of forces agreement, and there were clear compromises in the draft on both sides, but the Iraqis are asking for things that no U.S. president can agree to."
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My Comment: It now appears that the U.S. will be out within a year.