Kerry Calls for UN-Backed High Commissioner to Oversee Iraq

[maddezmom]

April 30 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry called for an international high commissioner backed by the United Nations Security Council to oversee the transition of power in Iraq and help with its reconstruction.

``We need to put pride aside to build a stable Iraq,'' Kerry, 60, said in remarks prepared for delivery at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. ``The U.S. will lead, but we must also listen. We must share responsibility.''

~snip~

The U.S.-led coalition plans to transfer sovereignty to a Baghdad-based government June 30. A high commissioner would be able to facilitate a behind-the-scenes role for the U.S., quelling Iraqi concerns about the occupation, said Ivo Daalder, an analyst with the Brookings Institution, a public policy group, and a former member of President Bill Clinton's National Security Council.

``It's a good and important proposal -- one some of us have been pushing for many months,'' Daalder said. ``Given the alternative -- an Iraqi government that cannot govern or continued de facto U.S. occupation -- I would think it should be very attractive to the UN.''

~snip~
more: http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=a7kKEmWhjymE&refer=us

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. How about we leave it up to the Iraqis?

They will simply murder the UN reps anyway.

[Paschall]

3. Even under the harsh sanction regime...

...there was little Iraqi hostility to the UN. Which is why the UN was so shocked by the bombing of the relatively unguarded UN headquarters in Baghdad.

Saddam played cat and mouse with UN weapons inspectors, but even he didn't harm them. Or toss them out of the country as myth would have it.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Saddam never allowed this kind of Iraqi hostility

Saddam isn't in charge anymore. Nobody is in charge now.

[Ironpost]

2. just sitting here

thinking about the mess we are in. sounds like mr Kerry has given the Iraq situation more thought than the resident. we have to remember that the only way to stop terrorism is you have to remove the reason for it, period. no if and or buts

[truthspeaker]

4. my cat has given the Iraq situation more thought than the Shrub

Kerry's plan sounds good, as far as it goes. But obviously it should ultimately be up to the Iraqi people. If they don't want US troops there then we should leave.

[maddezmom]

5. Kerry giving policy speech now on CSPAN

getting much applause.