MP Jeremy Corbyn wrong on EDM 1957

First up, the EDM(Early Day Motion) that I spotted:

EDM 1957 - Corbyn, Jeremy. Link to EDM

That this House notes that, according to an article in The Independent on 5th June, the US administration is attempting to negotiate an agreement with the Iraqi government to maintain 50 permanent US military bases in Iraq; further notes that this would create a permanent occupation of Iraq, a state of affairs which has no legal or moral basis; and calls upon the Government to resume and complete the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq to demonstrate our opposition to the US administration's unacceptable policy.

It would appear that MP Jeremy Corbyn has got his facts wrong. The above is an EDM he posted and below we have the comments of U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker, dated June 5th. Link

WASHINGTON — The United States is not seeking permanent military bases in Iraq as it negotiates legal and military agreements with the Iraqi government, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker said June 5.

Speaking at the State Department, Crocker called published reports that the United States is trying to set up permanent bases “flatly untrue.”

“There clearly is going to be a need” for a U.S. and coalition military presence in Iraq beyond the end of the year, Crocker said. But the status of forces agreement, when adopted, “is not going to be forever, particularly as it related to the status and authority of coalition forces in Iraq,” he said.

“So I’m very comfortable saying to you – to the Iraqis, to anyone who asks – that no, indeed, we are not seeking permanent bases, either explicitly or implicitly, by just intending to stay there indefinitely,” he said.

Both the U.S. and Iraqi governments want a strategic framework agreement as quickly as possible, possibly by July, Crocker said. But he emphasized that his focus “is more on getting it done right than getting it done quick.”

The agreement will be developed through a straightforward process, and will be scrutinized not only by the Iraqi parliament, but also Iraqi public opinion, Crocker said.

“This will be a transparent process,” he said. “It will have a full debate. It will all be out there in the open.”

Once agreed to, the agreement will have far-reaching impact, the ambassador said.

“Not only will this agreement deal with the status of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq past 2008, we also intend for it to set the broad parameters of the overall bilateral relationship in every field,” Crocker said. This will include political, diplomatic and cultural aspects - “the whole totality of the relationship,” he said.

**Won't be holding my breath for this MP to admit that he was actually wrong, after all a bit of American bashing taken from a poorly draughted story in The Independent is all the "facts" that an MP needs.

He also signed this steaming pile of crap EDM that praised Fidel Castro that I covered before:Link

EDM 982 FIDEL CASTRO 20.02.2008

Burgon, Colin

That this House commends the achievements of Fidel Castro in securing first-class free healthcare and education provision for the people of Cuba despite the 44 year illegal US embargo of the Cuban economy; notes the great strides Cuba has taken during this period in many fields such as biotechnology and sport in both of which Cuba is a world leader; acknowledges the esteem in which Castro is held by the people and leaders of Africa, Asia and Latin America for leading the calls for emancipation of the world's poorest people from slavery, hunger and the denial of human rights such as the right to life, the right to shelter, the right to healthcare and basic medicines and the right to education; welcomes the EU statement that constructive engagement with Cuba at this time is the most responsible course of action; and calls upon the Government to respect Cuba's right to self-determination and resist the aggressive forces within the US Administration who are openly planning their own illegal transition in Cuba.

I wonder if he could be an old school anti-American socialist MP?

Oh and champagne socialist Jeremy, trousered a cool £128,434 for the year 2006/2007 in expenses. But like fellow champagne socialist (James)Gordon Brown "he understands your pain" I am sure...

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