Monday, July 14, 2003
Setting up the buffer zone
A group of 25 Iraqis from diverse political, ethnic and religious backgrounds stepped onto a stage and declared themselves a "governing council" today, taking the first step to define the country's political future by accepting an offer of limited power-sharing from the U.S.-led occupation authority.
The members -- who include former exiles, politicians, Muslim clerics, tribal leaders, social activists, physicians and lawyers -- were selected by the occupation authority to help run this country of 24 million people until sovereignty is handed over to an elected government. The council's responsibilities will include the operation of ministries, the appointment of diplomats, the approval of next year's budget and preliminary work to form a commission to draft a constitution. Final control over those issues will still rest with the U.S. administrator here, L. Paul Bremer, but he has said he will follow the council's decisions in all but the most extraordinary circumstances.
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They expect the council to appease Iraqi political leaders, who have been clamoring for a chance to govern, as well as citizens, who have called for a greater role for Iraqis in the postwar transition. U.S. officials also say they believe that putting responsibility for government operations on the council could help deflect public anger over the tardy resumption of basic services from the occupation authority.
So now all the blame for the crippled reconstruction of Iraq can be placed on the shoulders of the council. Nice. Story here.
posted by chris at 10:49 AM
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