Obama tried to help Iraq
Letter writer Johann Christoph Arnold maintains that violence and terrorism have increased in Iraq because President Obama did not want to “leave a stabilizing force” there. But, in fact, the president offered to leave up to 10,000 Americans in Iraq to train and equip Iraqi security forces.
In return, the United States asked for the same basic Status of Forces Agreement that it has with other countries where our troops are stationed. It was essential to protect American soldiers from prosecution in Iraqi courts.
However, a resentful Iraqi public believed that SOFA would infringe on their nation’s sovereignty, and the government of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki rejected the agreement America needed.
Margaret J. McLaughlin, Miami
This story was originally published September 22, 2014 at 7:24 PM with the headline "Obama tried to help Iraq."