U.S. Formally Transfers Sovereignty to Iraqi Government

[cal04]

U.S. Formally Transfers Sovereignty to Iraqi Government
By REUTERS
BAGHDAD, June 28 - Sovereignty was formally handed to an Iraqi interim government at a low-key ceremony in Baghdad on Monday morning, two days earlier than expected.

Reuters correspondent Alistair Lyon, who was at the ceremony, said it was attended by Paul Bremer, the outgoing U.S. governor of Iraq, and top Iraqi government officials.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/28/international/middleeast/28CND-HANDOVER.html?hp

IRAQ A SOVEREIGN STATE

The handover of power in Iraq to an interim sovereign government has been completed after ministers made a surprise announcement that the transfer was being brought forward to today.

The transer of power was supposed to happen on June 30.

But Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, said the deteriorating security situation in the country was one of the reasons why the date had been brought forward.

It was feared guerillas would stage a major attack to derail the process.

The offiicial handover took place at a ceremony in Baghdad.

"We will challenge these elements in Iraq, the anti-democratic elements, by even bringing the handover of sovereignty before June 30 as a sign we are ready for it," he said.He added: "We have made some very good progress in terms of the new security council (in Iraq) and the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people to take away the level of occupation we have suffered a great deal from.
Iraqi leaders hope the handover will stem attacks

"There are many Iraqis who are standing up to the challenge. We are here to seek more help and assistance, training and equipment." Insurgents have mounted a series of bloody attacks this month aimed at disrupting the handover, and several foreign hostages have also been seized over the past week. The interim government will be led by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi will have "full sovereignty", according to a UN Security Council resolution on the handover earlier this month.

But there are important constraints on its powers. It is barred from making long-term policy decisions and will not have control over more than 160,000 foreign troops who will remain in Iraq.

The government has the right to ask them to leave - but has made clear it has no intention of doing so.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1140761,00.html

[flamingyouth]

1. WHAT Iraqi government?

:shrug: Are our troops coming home on Tuesday, then? :argh:

[grasswire]

2. CNN says...

...the reason is so that Iraq can ask for NATO help instead of the U.S. asking.

[Matilda]

3. That sounds about right.

Bush can absolve himself of all responsibility, while Halliburton
continues to rake in the dollars.

[Syrinx]

5. I'm not watching, but that's just GOT to be CNN *Internationial*

Am I right?

[Career Prole]

9. Yes, but CNN's running the CNNi feed as well. n/t

[thebigidea]

4. what blatant sleight of hand bullshit...

pay no attention to the Negroponte behind the curtain!

Those thousands upon thousands of soldiers are just... um... there for... uh... security. Yeah.

[uhhuh]

6. Full sovereignty

"But there are important constraints on its powers. It is barred from making long-term policy decisions and will not have control over more than 160,000 foreign troops who will remain in Iraq."

How can you have full sovereignty, but you can't make long term decisions?

[David Dunham]

7. This won't in any way stop US troops from being killed.

[Nay]

13. Yeah, the only one who actually gets to LEAVE Iraq is Bremer.

[blackcat77]

8. What glorious symbolism

Handed over in secret to a puppet government, behind concrete barricades and razor wire, surrounded by occupying troops.

Freedom, BFEE style!

[Career Prole]

10. Right now all the ex-football defensemen among us are yelling

"Quick kick! Quick kick! Quick kick!"

[hlthe2b]

11. Given the turmoil, I was thinking more of a "hail Mary....."

[BootinUp]

12. Maybe the game is "hot potato"

pile on whoever has the ball.

Hope Allawi has a good security detail.

[Moderator]

14. Yes, Virginia, this is a duplicate

Let's unify the discussion in this earlier thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=650903&mesg_id=650903