The Bush Administration will miss its self-imposed deadline of today for reaching a status of forces agreement with Iraq. However, it appears increasingly clear that the texts under negotiation move toward policies long held by the Administration’s progressive critics. Specifically, the Administration has apparently acquiesced to the Iraqi government’s demand that a security agreement contain a flexible timetable for the withdrawal of US combat forces by 2010. What is not clear, however, is what else the multiple documents under negotiation contain, whether their content will ever be shared with Congress, or how they square with Senator McCain’s plan to establish permanent bases and to maintain an indefinite U.S. troop presence in Iraq.

In the negotiations the Bush administration has moved closer to many long held progressive positions, including setting an aspirational timetable or “time horizon” for the withdrawal of U.S. forces by 2010. While the Bush administration has missed its deadline, the details of an expected security agreement have become increasingly apparent. The New York Times reports that the expected agreement, “gives Iraqis much of what they want — most notably the guarantee that there would no longer be foreign troops visible on their land — and leaves room for them to discreetly ask for an extended American presence should security deteriorate.” Additionally, “Officials said that they were discussing the goal of having all American troops, including advisers and trainers, leave by 2010, but that the time of departure would depend on conditions on the ground.” [NY Times, 7/31/08]

Today is the deadline that the Bush administration set for establishing a security agreement with Iraq, yet no agreement has been reached and there is still no plan to bring it to Congress. President Bush did announce this morning that they are still “making progress in the discussion with Prime Minister Maliki’s government on a strategic framework agreement.” To date, no agreement has been reached. Moreover, President Bush has given no indication that any security agreement will be brought before the U.S. Congress for its approval, despite the fact that bilateral agreements between countries require congressional approval. [LA Times, 7/31/08]

Despite current developments, John McCain continues to advocate maintaining an indefinite presence in Iraq. In response to the Iraqi government’s expressed desire for a timetable, McCain stated, “I know for a fact that a [troop pullout] will be dictated by the situation on the ground, as it always has been.” McCain also failed to accept Maliki’s comments claiming, “We can withdraw and withdraw with honor, not according to a set timetable…and I’m confident that is what Prime Minister Maliki is talking about.” [ABC, 7/8/08, NBC, 6/08]

Quick Hits

An explosion occurred outside the Pakistani consulate in Afghanistan. This is likely to strain relations between the two increasingly hostile countries even more.

President Bush issued an executive order reshuffling the intelligence community, giving the Director of National Intelligence greater power and limiting the role of the CIA.

The Prime Minster of Israel Ehud Olmert announced his departure from office after the September elections. Corruption charges are behind his decision to leave.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke of a significant shift in the nation’s defense strategy, which takes the emphasis from conventional warfare and places it on “long-term, episodic, multi-front, and multi-dimensional conflict,” i.e. terrorism.

The Chinese government is censoring certain internet websites for the duration of the Olympics in Beijing. This comes as the media is beginning to focus heavily on Olympic coverage, ranging from Bush’s condemnation of repression to some of the incredible measures the government is undertaking.

Turkey’s ruling party, the AKP, was spared a ban by the country’s highest court, preventing a political crisis. The party stood accused of leading the country away from its secular principles.