# If Iraq is now "sovereign," does Order 17 still have any legal force?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-is-now-sovereign-does-order-17-still-have-any-legal-force/420563>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 26, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-is-now-sovereign-does-order-17-still-have-any-legal-force/420563 "2007-09-26T16:51:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-is-now-sovereign-does-order-17-still-have-any-legal-force/420563/1 "2007-09-26T16:51:10Z")

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The Coalition Provisional Authority’s [Order 17](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_17) grants foreign contractors in Iraq what amounts to [extraterritoriality](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterritoriality) – more-than-diplomatic immunity from criminal or even civil prosecution in the Iraqi courts. This has often been mentioned in discussions over the behavior of [Blackwater.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=436859)

But the [CPA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_Provisional_Authority) was dissolved in 2004. (In fact, [it never really existed in the first place.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=304863) :rolleyes: ) Power was officially handed over to the new Iraqi government. Why is the latter bound to respect any of the CPA’s orders or policies?

[Relevant article.](http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071008/engelhardt)

[Complete list of CPA Orders,. Memoranda and Public Notices.](http://www.cpa-iraq.org/regulations/#Orders)

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-is-now-sovereign-does-order-17-still-have-any-legal-force/420563/2 "2007-09-26T20:00:37Z")

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[QUOTE=BrainGlutton]  
Power was officially handed over to the new Iraqi government. Why is the latter bound to respect any of the CPA’s orders or policies?  
[/QUOTE]  
Because the Iraqi “government” is just a sham, propped up by us. A failed attempt at a puppet government; failed since it’s a bad puppet and not much of a government.

A sovereign government would be able to tell Blackwater to go away, tell us to leave, and ignore any orders we imposed on them. They can’t, because they are not at all sovereign.

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-is-now-sovereign-does-order-17-still-have-any-legal-force/420563/3 "2007-09-26T20:19:26Z")

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[QUOTE=Der Trihs]  
Because the Iraqi “government” is just a sham, propped up by us. A failed attempt at a puppet government; failed since it’s a bad puppet and not much of a government.  
[/QUOTE]

But . . . but . . . [Maliki says they’re **winning!**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=437830)