U.S. to Ask U.N. for Wider Role in Iraq

[David Zephyr]

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is preparing to ask the United Nations to transform the U.S.-led force in Iraq (news - web sites) to a multinational force and to play a leading role in forming an Iraqi government.

President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell met on the issue Tuesday and agreed to move forward with a new U.N. resolution, an effort to attract more foreign contributions to postwar Iraq, three senior administration officials said on condition of anonymity.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030903/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_un_iraq_4

[hadrons]

1. hat in hand and head in ass ....

describes Bush and Powell

[paulk]

2. I don't see why germany, france

and especially russia and china would agree to a new resolution, unless total control is given to the UN. We're hoisted on our own petard here. I think they'll let us dangle awhile.

[caledesi]

11. Yes, they will let us dangle and smile <knowing they were right all along>

[leftchick]

3. judging by these last two paragraghs, seems as though

nothing has changed... snip:

<But some in the administration consider the United Nations incapable of commanding or managing combat operations in Iraq and might even send in incompetent troops to provide a multinational look.

The administration would not consider putting the operation under U.N. control, said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity.>

same old song and dance...

[StandWatie]

4. "incompetent"

I can think of no better word to describe every action the Pentagon has taken since Saddam left Baghdad and I can't imagine anyone doing a worse job anyway.

[karlschneider]

5. exactly. Emperor whistleass isn't about to share any authority with

those unwashed furriners.
:eyes:

[kainah]

7. Exactly ... has anyone cleared this with Rummy?

Every time I hear or read a story like this now, I remember how * pretended to be following Powell through last fall. And then, it was all pretense. Now they're desperate but I don't know why any other country would actually be willing to get involved in this mess. Except for the humanitarian concerns that bushco has no sense of....

Let's hope that, somehow, the UN finds a way to wrest control of this mess from our incompetent hands so that people can stop dying over there.

[Turbulence]

22. how about Kofi?

anyone actually run this by him yet?

[Turbulence]

21. yes it harkens back to the day when daddy was in office and

he kept reminding us all to read his lips... its another form of diversion. Something like: It's the evildoers stupid!

[dembones]

6. The Emperer is butt assed naked

We really don't have the troops to do rotations in next year. Bush has literally no choice here. He can either withdraw, and let Iraq go the way of Afghanistan, or he can grovel to the U.N.

I hope the U.N. extracts a heavy price from the President-select. He abused them terribly this past year. They should not play nice. He literally needs to get the U.N. to save his ass or his re-election is doomed. He literally can not keep Iraq pacified with 50,000 troops next year. He needs the U.N. or every national guard member called up, and to move troops out of Korea. He dropped the pooch. Big time.

[Cha]

13. So nice we lived to see this day!

:kick:

[Nottingham]

8. Well you can Ask Now but where were you in the Beginning

When you were Mr. Big Shot President about 3 years ago!

And I wouldn't be surprised if they NEVER HELP US!:bounce:

[Warren Stuart]

9. But I thought the UN was irrevelant?

They can't be serious, not after they trashed the UN in the buildup to the war.

[Torgo]

10. Won't happen!

To get UN troops, Bush will need to relinquish US command.

Relinquishing US command will mean no place for the Halliburtons and other business buddies.

I suspect that the langusge will be more grandstanding from Bush to make him look like a rational human being to a few voters.

It won't happen!

[Turbulence]

14. and in addition to that

the third paragraph:


Powell and his aides will begin talking about the new resolution in coming days with key members of the Security Council whose support is critical _ close ally Britain, as well as France and Russia, two countries that opposed the U.S.-led war.

didn't russia just official sign on with Saudi Arabia with their energy deal? wow this is way too much humble pie for the homeboys to swallow. The question is what kind of clamp down will the UN have in mind or do the boys intend to dictate UN participation now?

[Cha]

15. I know...they always say they are going to do something...

that would be the decent thing and then never come through!

[Cha]

12. They should have listened to the UN before and we wouldn't

be in this Quagmire now! :kick:

[cliss]

16. I agree. However,

I think this may take some time. First of all, even if the UN wants to help out, security is still a big issue. Who wants to send troops to a situation that's spinning out of control?

Also, the UN has everything to gain by waiting, and the US has everything to lose. Since Mr. Bonehead forgot to think about 6 months down the road, time is not on his side. Money is the big issue here, or the lack of it.

So it's negotiating time. Watch Cheney hold onto his cards. He'll hold out for another few months, in the hopes that things will calm down so he can hang onto the oil.

This should be very interesting.

[David Zephyr]

17. Bush Will Cave. He Has To. Iraq is Chaos Now.

It's beyond anyone's ability anymore.

The question is how much blood will be spilled before Bush's pride allows him to beg for help.

He is really going to have to lose face...lots of it.

The political leaders of Europe know that their peoples do NOT want them putting their soldiers in the hell hole that is now Iraq. Add to that the smug feeling of superiority that the French and Germans and Russians along with the Chinese now are enjoying amongst themselves at watching Bush shit all over himself in front of the world and you can see why the UN is in no hurry to help, if they will help at all.

And while this all plays out (Remember, Powell has been begging already for nearly two weeks with not even a hint of interest), our troops are increasingly in, as John McCain said, "harm's way".

[Torgo]

26. Bush hung Powell out to dry in the UN before...

What's to stop him from doing it again.

Powell will be asked to present a bullshit proposal and then be ridiculed by the entire UN. Bush will then act hurt and betrayed.

New script... old plot.

Bush hasn't got any chance in Hell for UN force assistance until he relinquishes US command.

He won't do that!

This is more Bush incompetence blossoming in full view of the world!

[gristy]

18. Does the securty council control the actions of the U.N. on

this issue? They are:

France
Germany
Guinea
Mexico
Pakistan
Russia
Spain
Syria
United Kingdom
United States
Angola
Bulgaria
Cameroon
China
Chile

If so, this is a group that just may be able to form a cohesive block to get the U.S. twisting in the wind until the U.S. does what they want. And what they want will be U.N. control of Iraq and ALL the forces in it, as well as control of all of the reconstruction efforts. The quagmire in Iraq, and the fact that the U.N. can do something about it, gives them a HUGE bargaining chip.

[markses]

24. I'm sure Bush will have Syria's support....

After the lunatic aggressive war talk from the US right wing, including Rummy, back when they were still war drunk on their "apparent" (which is to say, not real) victory in Iraq...:eyes:

Love to see Powell grovelling to the Syrian ambassador after all that nonsense....

[htuttle]

19. They're going to go ask the 'chocolate makers' for help?

This also from today:

US sneers at 'chocolate makers' - European only NATO
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=94277&mesg_id=94277

The United States on Tuesday sneered at plans by four European countries to create an autonomous European military command headquarters near Brussels separate from Nato, referring to the idea's proponents as "chocolate makers".

Now THAT's diplomacy... :eyes:

[dembones]

20. NY Times picks it up too

Lemme get this straight. Iraq wasn't as easy for us to pacify as we thought, we don't have enough troops to rotate in next year, and we desperately need the U.N., who we dissed, to help us, and we are "insisting" that they come in to rescue us, and obey our commanders. Are *'s people that clueless?

[RichV]

23. So...

If the US is given authority over UN troops, does that mean we finally rule the world? Because it's about damn time. ;)

Good grief, this is ridiculous.

[markses]

25. Hahaha: Bush "insists"

Hey Bushie. Cluetrain: You're the French's PRISON BITCH now. You don't insist shit. You do what you're told and shut up.

[leesa]

27. Wouldn't it be grand if handcuffs were slapped on and they were

led away to face trial for crimes against humanity?

[Carmerian]

28. I can't see this happening

Apart from the issues of it being payback time from some countries, I can't see the U.N. agreeing to this for another reason. Why would they want to bail the U.S. out, only to leave the U.N. holding the bag while we regroup and go off to invade another country? A pinned-down U.S. is a U.S. that can't cause more trouble for the U.N. members.

[InkAddict]

29. How's this roadmap

Commander-in-Chief no more but in repentent mode, Cheney holds it together and sends his demon contractors back to the lair for more droids to lay wait on what? More SA internal shenanigans?

Conventions select: Dean/Clark vs. Powell (the ahem...Peacemaker)/Frist The juxtapostioning of campaigns would be very interesting.

Will/where will, the the BBV backdoors open?

On a less serious note: TIN FOIL or BUST?