Posted: 5/16/2004 5:40:13 PM EDT
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Drudge: PAPER: USA AND BRITAIN PLAN QUICK EXIT FROM IRAQ Seems to support this DEEPLY disturbing opinion column about Bush's willingness to hand everything over to the UN and pay for it, just to wash his hands of Iraq. I couldn't fucking believe this WITH just seven weeks to the scheduled transfer of power to the Iraqis, the United States seems to be preparing to throw the baby out with the bathwater in exchange for a resolution from the U.N. Security Council. Convinced that the Bush administration is looking for an exit strategy with the help of the United Nations, France and Russia have already started raising the stakes on the new Iraq resolution sought by the Americans. In a series of recent statements and leaks, the two veto-holding powers have made it clear that they will not settle for anything less than a humiliating abdication by the United States of its responsibilities in Iraq. To begin with, they want Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N. point-man in Baghdad, to name the new Iraqi government. The Algerian diplomat has already made it clear that he is looking for “fresh faces,” which means excluding all those who have worked with the U.S.-led Coalition since liberation. In other words: Not only will the liberators have no say in who governs Iraq in the transition, but those Iraqis who have worked hard to make liberation a success will also be punished for their efforts. Brahimi and his French and Russian backers also insist that the United States should have no control over the newly created Iraqi armed forces, police and civil defense corps. This would create two military presences in Iraq: one led by the Americans, the other by Mr. Brahimi. It is not clear what each of those two would do. Would the Americans be cantoned in remote bases, spending time in a Desert of the Tatars exercise in waiting for suicide bombers to strike? At the same time, however, the Brahimi plan envisages that all bills will continue to be sent to the Americans, who have allocated over $80 billion to the Iraqi project. In other words: The U.N. rules, the Americans pay. Oh, to be sure, Mr. Brahimi will consult the U.S. and U.K. allies on occasion. But the two coalition partners will have no more of a say in what happens than will Russia, France and China, who opposed the liberation of Iraq in the first place. The veto-wielding trio still refuse to acknowledge that there was liberation. Instead, the Franco-Russian “concepts” circulating for a new resolution speak of “ending the occupation.” This means that Iraq was free under Saddam Hussein but became occupied territory when the Coalition forces arrived. Paris and Moscow believe that the Bush administration is desperate enough to accept almost anything. This is why they insist that the future U.N. interim czar should have the power to revoke any of the numerous edicts approved by the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraq Governing Council - e.g., Brahimi could cancel the edict that banned the Ba’ath Party. He also intends to cancel the statement of principles that commits Iraq to building a Western-style democratic system rather than a modified version of Arab despotism. “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!” shouted Shakespeare’s forlorn hero. “A resolution, a resolution, the whole of Iraq for a resolution!” shouts the Bush administration now. www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/24066.htm |
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That describes the franco-russian 'dream scenario' More likely, Bush will go to the UN in good faith asking for help for the new iraqi govt... If he gets help, he'll take it... If he gets the bird, he'll return it.. Just like the beginning of the war, all over again... |
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Why on earth would anyone be surprised by this? Nothing has shaken my conviction that there was never any real plan for dealing with post-Saddam Iraq and there's certainly no political willpower in the adminstration for a long haul strategy of rebuilding the country. Yeah it's dumb but there it is. I have little doubt that at some point in the near future we'll be going hat-in-hand to some of these UN/EU bozos asking for their help. |
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| Many mid-east experts feel that the shit is really going to hit the fan soon after the June 30 turn over date and the situation is going to be much worse than it is now. There is a really big probability of a civil war and Iraq split into three parts. Turkey is very concerned about an independent Kurdish state and they might jump into the middle of it. If we get even more Soldiers and Marines killed Bush may try to to save the election by pulling out. |