Iraq Council's First Step (sending delegation to the UN)

[chomskyite2]

Iraq Council's First Step
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
July 15, 2003

Baghdad, Iraq - Violence against U.S. forces continued yesterday, with another U.S. soldier killed in an ambush, even as Iraq's new governing council voted to send a delegation to the UN Security Council and assert its right to represent Baghdad on the world stage.

Since Hussein's UN ambassador, Mohammed al-Douri, left New York on April 11, Iraqi diplomats have kept a low profile. Although he left the United States, al-Douri did not resign and Iraq's UN Mission remains open.

As the U.S.-backed 25-member council met on its first full day, governments in Europe and Asia - even those critical of the U.S.-led war to oust Saddam Hussein - welcomed the body as a first step in returning political power to the Iraqis.

"I welcome the setting up of the governing council in Iraq ... as a first important step toward a genuine and representative Iraqi administration," European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said in a statement. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the council "is seen as the first major step toward the transfer of official power ... into the hands of Iraqis."

But final control of Iraq rests with L. Paul Bremer - the U.S. administrator of Iraq and a major architect of the new council. That, and the fact the council was not elected, led to criticism at an Arab League meeting in Cairo.

After the council meeting had broken up in Baghdad, an explosion nearby destroyed a four-wheel-drive vehicle owned by the Tunisian Embassy.

more

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-woiraq153372171jul15,0,2489313.story?coll=ny-worldnews-headlines

[CWebster]

1. Governing council w/Chalabi

"BAGHDAD, July 12 -- Iraqi leaders and the U.S.-led occupation authority agreed today to give a slight majority of seats on a 25-member governing council to people who had lived outside the limits of ousted president Saddam Hussein's government, Iraqis involved in the process said.

The makeup of the council, which will have broad executive powers during the postwar occupation, is a significant victory for political groups that had opposed Hussein's government from exile. But it is a reversal for the authority, whose leaders had planned to give Iraqis who lived under Hussein a majority on the council. U.S. and British officials here have been concerned that granting former exiles and ethnic Kurds a majority could weaken support for the council among the many Iraqis who view the former exiles with suspicion.

Although top U.S. and British officials here had initially sought to keep former exiles and Kurds in the minority, the U.S. civil administrator of Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, and other senior officials agreed to revise their formula after lobbying by political leaders who had been in exile. The Iraqi leaders argued that placing more people with political skills on the council, even if they had lived outside the country, would give the group the best chance of success."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48788-2003Jul12

Right.

[komplex]

2. I'm waiting

For the Media to call it Vichy Iraq? ;)

[CWebster]

3. Har har, wrong spin

They are continually searching for justification and legitimacy of US efforts to further Democracy, on US terms of course, such as in Afghanistan.

[newyawker99]

4. Hi komplex!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: