Al-Jazeera (Saturday): US urged to slow Iraq power transfer by Hillary

[Jack Rabbit]

From al-Jazeera English edition
Dated Saturday November 29 14:18 GMT (6:18 am PST)

US urged to slow Iraq power transfer

US Senator Hillary Clinton says President Bush's administration is moving too fast in a planned transfer of power to the Iraqis by July.
"It's going to take more time than has been allotted for the process to take hold," the New York Democrat said during a brief stopover to visit US troops in Kuwait on Saturday.
"I don't think we should be setting artificial timelines as this is a very challenging undertaking and we need to work with our Iraqi counterparts and make sure that the steps that are being taken are going to work."
Washington's plan for handing power back to Iraqis has been criticised by the top cleric among Iraq's Shia majority for paying too little heed to Islam and including too little Iraqi involvement.

Read more.

[ima_sinnic]

1. ha ha, look at the poll on that same page

Was President Bush's short visit to Baghdad a publicity stunt?
yes 78%
no 18%
unsure 3%

[maddezmom]

2. Hillary actually spent time talking to the people

Way to go Hillary. :thumbsup:

<<I don't think we should be setting artificial timelines as this is a very challenging undertaking and we need to work with our Iraqi counterparts and make sure that the steps that are being taken are going to work." >>

This artificial timeline is based on our prez. election

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Excellent point

Hillary deserves some credit for that.

Of course, it should be no surise that Bush doesn't talk to the common people in Iraq or really care what they think. He doesn't talk to common Americans or care what they think, either.

[dai]

3. To me, this seems like...

...a very difficult decision to make. If we delay a transfer of power, we will look more and more like an occupying power. However, a rapid transfer would likely create a powerless government which may not be accepted by much of the Iraqi population.

I am leaning towards Hillary's position, but I honestly don't know which is a better option. The whole situation is such a mess - any solution is going to have to be a "lesser of two evils".

[Mikimouse]

5. Whether we wish to admit it or not

"If we delay a transfer of power, we will look more and more like an occupying power"

We ARE an occupying power.

[dai]

8. oops...

...you're absolutely right. I meant that we would be seen as an unwelcome occupying authority by an ever increasing number of Iraqis, in that we are not acting in our own interests and not theirs - I understand my post was not very clear. Perhaps either "imperial" or "colonial" power would be better terms for the direction we seem to be heading in.

Great signature, btw.

[Mikimouse]

9. Welcome to DU

I figured that there was probably more to the post than what I was reading. Thanks for noticing the sig.:toast:

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Internationalization

Perhaps that is also why Hillary recommends internationaliztion of the effort. There is simply no way the Bushies are going to be seen as anything but colonialists. Not only is it an occupation, but it is an occupation designed to benefit Bush's corporate cronies, not the Iraqi people.

More than simply internationalizing the reconstruction effort needs to be done. The contracts awarded by the Bushies to their transnational cronies should be canceled. Any sales to Iraqi assets to foreign companies should be voided. Any debt accrued by the colonial government should be decalred odious. The present IGC should be disbanded and replaced by a genuine interim governing authority responsible to the Iraqi people. A constitutional convention should be called and all elements of Iraqi society, including insurgents, should be represented. Once free elections are held under the new constitution, Iraq should be declared again a self-governing, sovereign state.

In all of this, the Bushies should have as little say a possible. Mr. Bush and his aides lied about the rationale for the invasion and attempted to loot the country, which was the real reason for the invasion. They should count themselves fortunate if they don't stand before an international tribunal charged with war crimes.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. Interesting Poll

. . Was President Bush's short visit to Baghdad a publicity stunt?

a. Yes . . . . 80%

b. No . . . . 17%

c. Unsure . . 3%

[nyrnyr1994]

10. I'm sure the freepers are going to be frothing

that this was on al-Jazeera

[coralrf]

12. So what?

Why do the freepers matter? Why are they even mentioned in here? Why do we consider them worthy of a minutes thought?

[VolcanoJen]

11. Kick!

:dem: