The US-Iraqi security cooperation agreement subjects US soldiers to Iraqi courts. Technically, the courts’ authority kicks in only in cases of crimes, but almost every killing can be termed a crime: how do the Americans prove they killed a terrorist rather than civilian? And occasionally they kill indisputable civilians.
The Iraqi puppet government conditioned signing the agreement on the jurisdictional provision. Apparently, Americans want to stay in Iraq more than Iraq government wants them to stay.
The provision is astonishing. Occupational forces never submit to local jurisdiction. The provision is unlikely to be carried out in practice, but it sets an extremely dangerous precedent in international law.




