Security arrangement for U.S. troops near

Strong criticism for U.S. commander

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said in remarks aired Friday that the top U.S. commander in Iraq “risked his position” by alleging Iran was trying to bribe lawmakers to vote against the proposed security agreement with the United States.

Al-Maliki briefed top political leaders Friday about the draft agreement, which includes a timeline for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2011 and a compromise giving Iraq authority to try U.S. contractors and soldiers for major crimes committed off-duty and off-base.

In an interview published Monday in the Washington Post, Gen. Ray Odierno, who took command of the U.S.-led coalition last month, said U.S. intelligence reports indicated Iran has tried to bribe Iraqi lawmakers to derail the agreement, which must be approved by Parliament before the U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year.

“The American commander has risked his position when he spoke in this tone and has regrettably complicated relations,” al-Maliki told visiting Kuwaiti journalists Thursday. “How can he speak like this about a baseless allegation? What has been said is truly regrettable.”

Odierno and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker met Talabani on Friday and al-Ani, the presidential spokesman, said he understood that Odierno has offered an apology. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Concern for troops charged with crime

U.S. troops subject to prosecution under Iraqi law for alleged crimes beginning in 2009 will be “well protected” under the terms of a draft U.S.-Iraq security agreement, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday.

Despite that assurance, Democrats who head the House and Senate committees with oversight of the Pentagon have expressed concern about U.S. troops being put in legal jeopardy.

Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, issued a statement Friday saying that, after consulting with Gates, he had “real questions” about the substance of the proposed accord that would end exclusive U.S. legal jurisdiction. He also said he was “very concerned about reports that U.S. service personnel may not have full immunity under Iraqi law.”

Gates also described the deal to other lawmakers, including Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, and Sen. John McCain, the presidential nominee who is the ranking Republican on Levin’s committee.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also lobbied lawmakers this week, including Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden.

Bombs kill 3 Shiites and Sunni preacher

> A bomb planted near a Baghdad mosque killed three Shiite worshippers as they were leaving Friday prayers, officials said. Many Iraqi mosques used the Muslim week’s holy day to address recent attacks against Christians. Police and health officials said seven other people were wounded and some homes also were damaged.

> A suicide bomber killed a prominent Sunni mosque preacher in Fallujah, police said.