Powell: U.S. Will Remain Military Leader in Iraq

[kskiska]

By Dana Milbank

The Bush administration is presenting a draft resolution today to U.N. Security Council members that would leave the United States as "leader of the military coalition" in Iraq but reporting to the United Nations, Secretary of State Colin Powell said today.

In a briefing for reporters, Powell said the United States would not relinquish its "dominant role" in Iraq even as it goes to the world body to seek authorization for a multinational force in that country. "The U.S. will remain the commander of the unified command, and there will be an element in the resolution that calls upon the United States, as the leader of the military coalition, to report on a regular basis to the United Nations, since it is a United Nations-authorized multinational force, if the resolution passes," Powell said.

The nation's chief diplomat called the decision to seek a new resolution "a new effort with respect to our diplomatic efforts to generate international support for Iraq." But, like other administration officials, Powell portrayed the decision to seek U.N. support as an evolution in Bush's plan in Iraq that was consistent with its early intentions. "This is all part of the president's strategy of making sure that this is an international operation," Powell said. "He's said that from the very beginning." The secretary described the effort as "an evolutionary process" and said the resolution is "of the kind that I have suggested to you for a number of weeks."

The Bush administration is struggling to recruit international troops to support its efforts in Iraq, where 140,000 U.S. troops are straining under extended tours of duty and mounting casualties. The United States has had trouble getting commitments from a sufficient number of nations without U.N. sanction. Powell, however, said the decision to seek a resolution "is not related to casualties."

So stop saying that.

Inherent in the proposal is a trade-off: a larger role for the United Nations in Iraq's civil administration in exchange for sanctioning international troops under U.S. military command. Powell said the initial response has been "positive."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20085-2003Sep3.html

[searchingforlight]

1. They just don't get it do they?