U.S. soldiers attempt to seize Green Zone passes of Sadrist lawmakers

Above: A U.S. soldier checks a driver's identification badge at Entry Control Point 12, one on several checks before entering Baghdad's Green Zone. VOI reports that The Multi-National forces in Iraq on Monday described the encounter as a casual incident over a parking dispute.

BAGHDAD: U.S. soldiers on Monday stopped five lawmakers loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr as they were walking to a parking lot inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, one of the lawmakers said.

An Associated Press reporter witnessed the encounter.

He said the soldiers drove up in an SUV marked "police" and stopped the lawmakers, who included two women, just outside the building where they attended a session of the 275-seat parliament.

The soldiers asked the three male lawmakers to hand over the passes giving them access to the Green Zone, home to Iraq's parliament as well as its government offices and the U.S. and British embassies.

Read the rest at the International Herald Tribune

Related Link:
Majority of Iraqi lawmakers endorse Sadrist draft bill for U.S. pullout

Related Link:
Report: Nearly half of Iraqi lawmakers sign petition in favor of scheduled withdrawal

Related Link:
Sadr bloc returns to parliament after demands met for consideration of U.S. withdrawal, end of UN mandate