The USG Open Source Center translates an Iranian radio broadcast that alleges the US is trying to bribe members of the Iraqi parliament to pass the proposed security agreement with the US, with the alleged bribes totaling $3 bn. No source is given for the allegation, and the price tag seems high. At 275 MPs, that would be nearly $11 million apiece. Nor is it clear out of which funds such an amount would come. File under: “Well, that is what they said.”
‘Iran Radio Says US Pledged To ‘Bribe’ Iraqi MPs For Signing Security Pact
Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran Radio 1
Saturday, June 7, 2008
OSC Translated Text
(Presenter) While Iraqi people are increasingly opposing the signing of the security pact between America and Iraq, Al-Maliki’s government officials are attempting to assure people and the countries in the region that they would sign no agreement that would violate Iraqis’ governance. They are thus attempting to pave the way for the signing of the security pact.
The greatest linchpin for those who are against the signing of the agreement is the view of Ayatollah Sistani, the Iraqi Shiites’ source of emulation, who has set transparency, defending national governance, national consensus and approving the agreement by the Iraqi parliament as his four conditions for the signing of the pact.
This is while America is attempting to use carrot and stick policy to impose the security pact on Iraq by pledging to pay $3 billion of bribe to Iraqi parliament members – in case they agree with the security pact – and by threatening Baghdad that it will block the country’s assets in American banks – in case Iraq opposes to sign the pact.
The political gap that has widened over the security pact in Iraq today is because the pact will limit Iraq’s national governance and will legitimize the continuation of the occupation of this country. This gap may adversely affect the efforts by Al-Maliki’s government in creating political and security stability, and may affect the result of the local council elections in Mehr (September-October).
On the other hand, it seems that due to the influence of the American intelligence bodies in Iraq’s terrorist groups and Washington’s control over security institutions in Iraq, the opposition of Baghdad with the signing of the security pact may lead to a new round of insecurity in Iraq with the objective of reminding the Iraqi government about the cost of such an opposition.
Under such circumstances, the national consensus in Iraq and the political and security cooperation of regional countries with Al-Maliki’s government may help Baghdad’s government to observe the national interests of Iraq when considering the signing of the security pact with America.
(Description of Source: Tehran Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran Radio 1 in Persian — state-run radio)’
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