YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS: IRAQ CONDEMNS U.S. DEMANDS

Never in the history of the United States as an occupier of a foreign country has the foreign country told the United States what they could and could not do---but Iraq is doing just that and dictating to the United Stats where U.S. troops can go in their country and how many bases the U.S. military can have in Iraq.

Iraqis Condemn American DemandsSides Negotiating U.S. Military Role

By Amit R. Paley and Karen DeYoungWashington Post Foreign ServiceWednesday, June 11, 2008; A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/10/AR2008061003415.html

BAGHDAD, June 10 -- High-level negotiations over the future role of the U.S. military in Iraq have turned into an increasingly acrimonious public debate, with Iraqi politicians denouncing what they say are U.S. demands to maintain nearly 60 bases in their country indefinitely.

Top Iraqi officials are calling for a radical reduction of the U.S. military's role here after the U.N. mandate authorizing its presence expires at the end of this year. Encouraged by recent Iraqi military successes, government officials have said that the United States should agree to confine American troops to military bases unless the Iraqis ask for their assistance, with some saying Iraq might be better off without them.

"The Americans are making demands that would lead to the colonization of Iraq," said Sami al-Askari, a senior Shiite politician on parliament's foreign relations committee who is close to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "If we can't reach a fair agreement, many people think we should say, 'Goodbye, U.S. troops. We don't need you here anymore.' "