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American Governor For Baghdad Says She Does Not Recognise 'Mayor'
Independent (UK) ^
| 4-22-2003
| Andrew Buncombe
Posted on 04/21/2003 4:20:21 PM PDT by blam
American governor for Baghdad says she does not recognise 'mayor'
By Andrew Buncombe in Baghdad
22 April 2003
She has held some of the hardest jobs of any American diplomat, yet Barbara Bodine may be about to take on her toughest challenge yet.
Ms Bodine is to become the US co-ordinator for central Iraq, assuming a position that will make her responsible for Baghdad. She arrived in the Iraqi capital yesterday with retired Lieutenant-General Jay Garner, the man who is heading the civilian administration for the entire country.
She immediately placed herself at the centre of controversy, saying America did not recognise the Iraqi diplomat who has proclaimed himself the mayor of Baghdad.
Last week, Mohammed Mohsen al-Zubaidi, the deputy head of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), claimed he had been elected head of an interim council to run the city. Over the weekend he announced that 22 individual committees had been established to oversee the various aspects of Baghdad's civil administration.
But yesterday Ms Bodine, 54, said that Washington did not recognise Mr Zubaidi, despite the close links some elements of the Bush administration have had with the INC leader, Ahmed Chalabi.
"We don't really know much about him except that he's declared himself mayor. We don't recognise him," she said. "There hasn't been a process of selection. Once there's a process, then whomever."
She also said she did not think that Mr Zubaidi could lead an Iraqi delegation to the emergency meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) starting on Thursday in Vienna.
"He can't," she added. "I don't think Opec would take him. We wouldn't prevent him but I would find it odd that Opec would accept him as a representative."
Ms Bodine, a former US ambassador to Yemen, is no stranger to controversy. Having served in Baghdad in the 1980s, she was in Kuwait in 1991 when several US diplomats were taken hostage before the 1991 Gulf War. She was among those who were held for 137 days.
A life-long Arabist, Ms Bodine was reportedly elected to General Garner's Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) having been given positive backing from the Pentagon, which has been sceptical of many from the State Department.
One of her most challenging roles was as the US ambassador to Yemen. During her watch the USS Cole was struck by al-Qa'ida terrorists, killing 17 sailors while it was docked in Yemen.
Mr Bodine, who will be one of three Iraqi sector heads, is originally from St Louis.
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alzubaidi; american; baghdad; barbarabodine; governor; inc; interimauthority; iraqifreedom; mayor; opec; turass
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1
posted on
04/21/2003 4:20:21 PM PDT
by
blam
To: blam
So now we see the state dept. version of "Shock and Awe".
I'm sure the locals are shocked by this one!
Go for it Barbara - leave them in awe!
LVM
To: LasVegasMac
Teh form of expression she chooses strikes me as not particuarly suited for the Middle Eeast. I wonder under what lilly in the Foggy Bottom they've found her...
3
posted on
04/21/2003 4:29:41 PM PDT
by
TopQuark
To: ambrose
Mr Bodine, who will be one of three Iraqi sector heads, is originally from St Louis. Oops, looks like the three "sector" idea is not an original one.
4
posted on
04/21/2003 4:36:45 PM PDT
by
ez
(...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.)
To: blam
Perhaps our troops will host a large all-night welcome celebration for all of the members of her DDS detail.....
5
posted on
04/21/2003 4:44:54 PM PDT
by
tracer
(/b>)
To: blam
Good evening blam.
What has me so amused ever since Ms. Barbara Bodine was made U.S. co-ordinator for central Iraq is that she is a woman...God forbid this in an Islamic world. For these Islamites (invented word but I like it, so I'll use it), it must be something like throwing gasoline on a raging fire. Good. This is going to get interesting as they start taking orders from a female. I bet her nomination was on purpose too. I would have done the same.
To: Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
"What has me so amused ever since Ms. Barbara Bodine was made U.S. co-ordinator for central Iraq is that she is a woman..." That's the main reason I posted this article. I'd like to see her smack down some Islamist freak. Pray that she doesn't get assassinated.
7
posted on
04/21/2003 5:07:55 PM PDT
by
blam
To: Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
May I add, before I get flamed, she was nominated first (I hope) on her abilites.
To: blam
Thank you. I had hoped I hadn't insulted anybody. This may get as interesting as posts about Baghdad Bob, but in a different way. I'm going to love it.
To: Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
This has some of the same smackings as MacAtrhur's insisting the the Japanese constitution give women the vote. This could be a significant plus.
To: Natural Law
WHOA! This is the same gal who refused re-entry into Yemen of the FBI agent investigating the USS Cole bombing. The same FBI agent who retired from the FBI and went to work as security chief in the World Trade Towers and was killed there on 9/11; his 1st or 2nd week on the job. His name escapes me right now but I'm sure others here will remember it. He entered the country for the investigation, took some time off to go home and it was when he returned that she denied him entry into Yemen. She didn't believe he was being "sensitive" enough to the locals.. She ought to do a bang up job in Baghdad! RIGHT!
To: Natural Law
I LOVE IT!!! Can you imagine the ladies running for office and getting their PhDs? True. I can only imagine. We will have to wait and see.
To: Thank You Rush
Oh gads, TYR. You just shattered my fantasy. I was not aware of that. Erase, erase.
To: Thank You Rush
But, and I'm fanaticizing again…maybe she was under orders by that sicko Clinton. But since she is a State Department dudette, as I knew along, then maybe my hopes were unreasonable.
To: Thank You Rush
"She ought to do a bang up job in Baghdad! RIGHT!" Ohhh! This is THAT woman?
15
posted on
04/21/2003 6:03:37 PM PDT
by
blam
To: blam
that chick sabotaged the Cole investigation in Yemen, I can't believe anyone would put her in charge of a McDonalds let alone the occupation of Baghdad
To: blam
Ref post #15. Oh yeck!!! I think I need a drink...It's 8:15 p.m. in Panama, so I think it's okay to have an adult beverage at this hour. I think I'll have a scotch and soda.
To: ContentiousObjector
It's getting worse. What else do you have on this dudette? Fill me in. I missed all this at the time.
To: Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
Let me take a minute to go thru' my stuff where I printed out the details on this and get back to you. Hope I can find it easily. I don't trust anything the State Department does - especially after the "woman" in the State Department who approved the visas of some of the 9/11 terrorists received a bonus and was just recently promoted to another position and her co-hort to another. I am speaking as a woman and I don't trust any of them in positions of power(especially in the State Dept.). At this point, the only woman in government who has my respect is Condi.
To: Thank You Rush
Ref post #19. I agree with everything you have just said.
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