IRAQ **30 July 2009 Iraqis vote on Status of Forces Agreement due before July 30

Iraq's 275-seat parliament and the United States agreed to a pact in November that saw US troops out of Iraqi cities by Jun 30 and out of the country by 2011. It also transfers the main responsibility for the country's security to Iraqi forces once the pact went into effect on Jan 1. Its longevity is conditional on a nationwide referendum before 30 Jul that asks Iraqis if they approve the plan. If it fails, Iraq may ask Washington to pull out its troops earlier. The fate of the pact could also depend on whether violence surges again and overwhelms Iraqi forces.

Reuters reported in July that the government is pushing for the referendum to be delayed until January 2010, when the country also holds a parliamentary election. Holding both at the same time will save money, according to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government, and electoral authorities complain there is no way the referendum can be organized in time. UPDATED Jul/09

**Date to be advised

RELATED READING:

Iraq referendum on U.S. troop deal may be delayed (Reuters 2 Jul 2009)
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5614M120090702

Iraq referendum will not delay military pact: Rice (AFP 27 Nov 2008)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hZJ3VHOHayZ9tIwJecO-mzFOsAXA