Posted on 11/12/2003 8:36:34 AM PST by TexKat
WASHINGTON - In an atmosphere of urgency, President Bush and his top foreign advisers sought new strategies Wednesday to speed the transfer of political power in Iraq as a top-secret intelligence report warned that Iraqis are losing faith in the U.S.-led occupation forces.
The mood was darkened by a truck-bomb explosion in southern Iraq that killed at least 14 Italians. "We honor the sacrifice of the brave Italian soldiers who gave their lives to help the Iraqi people," presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said.
Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney sat down with L. Paul Bremer, the top U.S. administrator in Baghdad, at a National Security Council meeting also attended by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.
The urgency of the talks was underscored by the fact that Rumsfeld temporarily delayed takeoff for a trip to Asia to attend the White House session and Bremer was hurriedly summoned from Baghdad. Rumsfeld left at mid-morning for the Asia trip.
McClellan said this was an "important phase" in Iraq, and acknowledged "there are difficulties ahead," but he declined to speculate or offer details about what options were being discussed, or when decisions would be made.
"You've heard us talk about accelerating our efforts on all fronts — on the political front and on the reconstruction and economic front and that's exactly what we've been working to do," McClellan said. "Ambassador Bremer is continuing to work closely with the Iraqi Governing Council and certainly he's intensifying the discussions there. We are also having serious discussions within the administration about how we move forward."
One option under consideration: naming a new interim Iraqi leader with authority to govern the country until a constitution can be written and elections held, an administration official said. That would be patterned after the model of Afghanistan.
The talks were held as an intelligence report warned that Iraqis are losing faith in U.S.-led occupation forces, a development that is increasing support for the resistance, officials said. Two senior U.S. officials said it describes a troubling picture of the political and security situation in Iraq.
Rushing back to Washington, Bremer abruptly canceled a planned meeting in Baghdad with the visiting Polish prime minister. In advance of his meeting with Bush, Bremer met on Tuesday with Cheney, Powell, Rumsfeld and Rice.
The talks came at a time when Iraqi insurgents have stepped up attacks — resulting in the bloodiest week for American soldiers since the end of major combat operations — and as U.S. and Iraqi leaders struggle over how to draft a new constitution, a key step in handing over power to the Iraqis.
With a re-election battle ahead, Bush faces a rising casualty toll in Iraq and criticism that he lacks a strategy for postwar Iraq. As of Monday, the U.S. death toll was 394.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said more U.S. troops are needed in Iraq. He said the situation there is deteriorating and "we need more boots on the ground."
"This situation has got to be reversed ... if this trend continues we are in serious difficulty," he said on CBS "The Early Show."
Also on Wednesday, U.S. troops opened fire accidently on a car carrying a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, the Iraqi administration said. The council member escaped injury but the driver was hurt.
U.S. officials have had growing concerns about the performance of the governing council, a senior administration official said, particularly the lack of progress toward a Dec. 15 deadline to set a timetable for writing a new constitution and holding democratic elections.
Bremer has expressed frustration to members of Congress that council officials are not working hard enough.
Entifadh Qanbar, spokesman for Governing Council member Ahmed Chalabi, said the accusations against the U.S.-appointed council are "nonsense and baseless." He added that council had many achievements in the past few months such as naming ministers, issuing legislation and taking part in international events.
"The only solution is that the council be given full powers and sovereignty," Qanbar said. He said Chalabi is currently in Iraq.
Even as they expressed disappointment in the council's work, administration officials said Bush was not about to disband it.
"The notion that we are about to throw the council to the wolves is exaggerated," said a third senior administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "But there is a need to put some energy into the political transition. It is true they are not as together as we had hoped."
Many members of the U.S.-picked governing council have complained, in turn, that they cannot move quickly and have no real power because Bremer rules the country. The council has not even decided how to choose delegates to draft the constitution, U.S. officials noted in frustration.
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EDITORS: AP White House Correspondent Terence Hunt and Associated Press writer Pauline Jelinek contributed to this report.
Bush needs to stick one of his boots up McCain's arse and the other boot up Kristol's. As for the Bremer-Rumsfeld-Powell, as government employees, they can never see the end of a government job. Go with the Rove view is 'It's election time, stupid. Get those men out of hot sun and parade them home - Iraq has been freed - Mission Accomplished'.
Plus the ~3,000 civilian deaths we suffered on the first day of the war.
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