US will tell Iraqi council to pick a PM (abandons expanded IGC)

[Barrett808]

US will tell Iraqi council to pick a PM
As transfer of power looms, Bush sets hopes on Shia technocrat, in third strategy shift in six months
Jonathan Steele in Baghdad
Saturday March 27, 2004
The Guardian

The United States will transfer power in Iraq to a hand-picked prime minister, abandoning plans for an expansion of the current 25-member governing council, according to coalition officials in Baghdad.

With fewer than 100 days before the US occupation authorities are due to transfer sovereignty, fear of wrangling among Iraqi politicians has forced Washington to make its third switch of strategy in six months.

The search is now on for an Iraqi to serve as chief executive. He will almost certainly be from the Shia Muslim majority, and probably a secular technocrat.

"There will be no Bremer and there will be a prime minister," a coalition official told the Guardian yesterday. "That will be the biggest change with the transfer of sovereignty."

(more)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1179077,00.html

[thebigidea]

1. oh, c'mon - I insist on Chalabi!

He's beloved by one and all!

Here's a great quote:

"Plans to create a three-man presidency - with a representative of the Shia, the Sunni and the Kurds - are still under way, but its powers would be mainly symbolic."

Uh, as is the entire "governing council" and all that will come from this obvious puppet-bullshit.

[annagull]

2. Gee, I wonder who it will be.... Chalabi?

Big surprise. :eyes:

[54anickel]

3. Wow, sort of makes the US sound desperate.

snip>
Plans to create a three-man presidency - with a representative of the Shia, the Sunni and the Kurds - are still under way, but its powers would be mainly symbolic.

Officials expect the prime minister to be a Shia, as Iraq's largest community has historically been excluded from power. To deny it the chance of the top job in Iraq's first democratic government would send an unwanted signal to Iraqis. Officials hope the man appointed will be a technocrat, to avoid rivalry between competing politicians and to prevent one party gaining the advantage of incumbency.

snip>

To satisfy him and the Shia politicians who took up his line, Washington accepted that the United Nations should send a team to mediate by assessing the feasibility of holding elections by the end of June. The US refused to delay the date because Mr Bush wants to be able to argue during his re-election campaign that Iraq has become a functioning democracy.

[grytpype]

4. If it's Chalabi...

If it's Chalabi I am going to be physically ill.

[IndianaGreen]

5. Chalabi is a Shia, a technocrat, and he is secular

In the words of the immortal Gomer Pyle: "Surprise, surprise, surprise!"

Here is some Maalox, grytpype!

:hi:

[FloridaPat]

6. Amamzing how they're ignoring the women. They should be

at least half the population.

[0rion]

7. SO MUCH FOR FREE ELECTIONS!

Here we go installing leaders who appease US interests.

[0007]

8. This was the plan from the beginning

Ahmed Chalabi is geared and trained in democracy. Proof is Chalabi ripped off a Jordanian bank for millions in a democracy fashion.

[Minstrel Boy]

9. "Chalabi" (to the tune of "Volare")

A great new tune by the Compassionate Conservatives:

Chalabi.... oho
Chalabi... ohohoho

Remember back in Amman
They found the money was gone
So you fled from the country as fast as you could
And you found yourself valuable friends
Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz knew you were ready to squeal,
So you made up a whale of a tale for a hell of a deal...

Chalabi.... oho
Chalabi... ohohoho
You fed us nothing but lies
Of germs that fell from the skies
Now you claim to be heroes in error dismissing
The reasons you gave us for war
And you offer to fall on your sword like the prodigal whore
But the troops and civilians who died for your cause deserve more...

Chalabi.... oho
Chalabi... ohohoho

http://www.oregonwaterfalls.com/cc/index.php

[grytpype]

10. Did you get this???

To satisfy him {Sistani} and the Shia politicians who took up his line, Washington accepted that the United Nations should send a team to mediate by assessing the feasibility of holding elections by the end of June. The US refused to delay the date because Mr Bush wants to be able to argue during his re-election campaign that Iraq has become a functioning democracy.

[wellst0nev0ter]

14. I Can See The Ad Now

". . .because if it were up to John Kerry, Eye-Rack would still be under a dictatorship, instead of a quisling government on the brink of civil war we have now. . ."

add some mumblings about terra, terra, terra, and it's boilerplate :eyes:

[grytpype]

11. What if Bremer does a tell-all?

Wouldn't that be cool? Right around August, Bremer comes forward and says Iraq was the worst clusterfuck in human history, that there was no plan whatsoever to deal with the post-invasion, that Bush, Cheney, Wolfie, Rummie, Leezie, and Scooter are fucking incompetent beyond any belief.

[Disturbed]

12. If it's Chalabi

I think that Alastani (sp) would issue a Fatwa to negate that appointment and there will be a milion Iraqis in the streets protesting. In my view Alastani is the logic hoice for interim leader in Iraq.

[daleo]

13. Here's another good one

"Mr Bremer issued a decree this week creating a defence ministry to replace the one he dissolved after Saddam Hussein's regime fell. It will be headed by a civilian, although overall control of all forces in Iraq, including the new army, will remain in US hands."

So, the U.S. picks the president and controls the military. And then Bush will boast about bringing Democrat to the middle east. Honestly, it would almost be funny in a Vonnegut/Heller/Monty Python way, if it wasn't so deadly serious.

[Lexingtonian]

15. Oh, cool!

Sure sounds like democracy to me...hey, look, a squadron of pigs passing over the treetops!