Saturday, Apr 12, 2003
Saturday, Apr 12, 2003 |
| International | ||
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | International
By Sridhar Krishnaswami
AN ACCUSING FINGER?: A Britisih officer listens to a college student who says that the U.S. troops have hurt Iraq by invading it and creating chaos in the streets. She said she supported Saddam Hussein and refused to accept that his Government had been toppled. — AP
The point was further emphasised by the Deputy Secretary of Defence, Paul Wolfowitz, while appearing before a Congressional panel on Thursday. Referring to the United Nations, the senior administration official remarked, " It can't be the managing partner. It can't be in charge." This has been perhaps the most blunt assessment that has come thus far from an administration official who is in the inner circle of decision-making in the White House. "What we're trying to avoid is a situation that we've seen in other places of the world where Iraq might become some sort of permanent ward of the international community. There's no reason for that to happen," Mr.Wolfowitz told lawmakers of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The senior official talked of the Pentagon envisioning parallel Ministries that would be led by Americans and Iraqis that will be running Iraq until such time as an interim government can be set up. The control of the Ministries of public services would be gradually shifted from the U.S.-led Ministries to Iraq. But Mr. Wolfowitz gave no time table for how long an interim Government would take or how long the United States will be staying back in that country. In the view of Mr. Wolfowitz, the plans are subject to change "when we get to the ground." The Bush administration, according to Mr. Wolfowitz, is planning to have a "rolling dialogue" next week with many Iraqis with leadership potentials to discuss the emerging Government in Baghdad. The Commander of the Central Command who is in charge of the war, Gen. Tommy Franks, is holding the meetings, which are organised in partnership with three coalition nations that have troops on the ground and with the United Nations and other coalition partners invited as observers. Mr. Wolfowitz sees a three-phase process on the road to creating a permanent government in Baghdad — first, it will be the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance led by the retired General Jay Garner. This office is not the provisional government, it is being stressed. Second will be the creation of an Iraqi Interim Authority with Gen. Garner's office growing increasingly to an advisorial body. And third, this Interim Authority will set up local elections, draft a new constitution leading to the creation of a new government in Baghdad. There are a lot of misgivings among Republicans and Democrats on the manner in which the Bush administration is going about the post-conflict phase in Iraq. For instance, many lawmakers want to know why the administration is reluctant to send Gen. Garner to Capitol Hill to answer a few questions. Many others are particularly disturbed at the fact that reconstruction business in Iraq is being awarded without any competitive bidding. And then there are serious questions on whether the United States would be wise enough to ignore sentiments of the international community on a more proactive role for the United Nations.
Related Stories:
Printer friendly
page
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | Home |
Copyright © 2003, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|
