IRAQ A SOVEREIGN STATE

Sky News ^ | June 28, 2004 | Sky News

[A_Niceguy_in_CA]

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 was supposed to take place 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.

"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.

"There are many Iraqis who are standing up to the challenge.

Iraqi leaders hope the handover will stem attacks

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.

[KangarooJacqui]

YES!!!!!!!

[byteback]

Mission Accomplished!

[Names Ash Housewares]

Fox is reporting Saddam will be brought before Iraqi judge within days.

[Diddle E. Squat]

And FNC reporting that Saddam will be taken before an Iraqi judge this week. Big time media event.

Whose new book? What new movie? Who served in Vietnam? All drowned out this week.

[Wiggins]

Good move. This throws off the terrorists timing for what ever plans of attack they may have had in place. I hope it works.

[ambrose]

And this is "news" because it is a surprise. May have been a yawn if it went forward on the scheduled date...

[Keith in Iowa]

Dan, Peter, & Tom are going to wake up to this news and soil themselves. It's really going to screw up their plans for Wednesday.

[ambrose]

Saddam is the one that worries me the most... we DON'T need to see a "Saddam escapes" story...

[The KG9 Kid]

Just another example of why some Freepers stay up late -- So often, that's when history is made.

[KangarooJacqui]

Fox is reporting Saddam will be brought before Iraqi judge within days.

At the risk of repeating myself - ahhh, what the heck...

*raises fist in air*

YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Syncro]

Well, yea they take the weakend off...typo intended.

[Defender2]

Outstanding!!!!:-)

[Syncro]

We are still have him surrounded, no worries.

[ScaniaBoy]

Sometimes it is all right to gloat! ;D

ScaniaBoy

[A_Niceguy_in_CA]

John Kerry will be real sad when he is awakened with this news.

That Fata$$ lying Son-of-a-biatch, Michael Moore has probably already called Kerry to b!tch about the expected huge dropoff in ticket sales to F-911 this week (even before Spiderman-2 opens).

[RWR8189]

When reached for comment, Tom Daschle was said to be "deeply saddened"

[Jim Robinson]

Well, it goes without saying that this is all Bush's fault.

[KangarooJacqui]

Just another example of why some Freepers stay up late -- So often, that's when history is made.

Of course, "late" depends on where you are. The news of the WTC skyjackings broke late at night where I live... by the time the towers came down, it was Sept 12th, and by the time I went to bed (at about 5.30am local time) the airforce base near my house was on full alert (this I could tell by the simple fact that they usually don't conduct F-111 engine testing at 5 in the morning.)

[jnarcus]

May the Iraqi people find the strength to take this offer of freedom into their own hands and make it a reality for themselves. It is theirs to nurture...may they grow it well