Iraqis Attack US Date For Hand-Over

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 11-27-2003 | Anton La Guardia

[blam]

Iraqis attack US date for hand-over

By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor
(Filed: 27/11/2003)

Powerful Shi'ite leaders yesterday criticised America's plan to hand power to an interim Iraqi government next summer. They warned of "real problems" unless it was revised.

Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim, brother of a prominent Shi'ite leader assassinated in August, complained that the plan does not envisage elections until next March, relegates the United Nations to a secondary role and does not protect Iraq's Islamic identity.

Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim

He said the misgivings were shared by Grand Ayatollah Ali Husseini al-Sistani, Iraq's most influential Shi'ite religious leader.

Mr Hakim added: "There will be real problems if the reservations we have expressed are not taken into account." (sound like a threat)

America and Britain have been careful to keep on the right side of Shi'ites, who form a majority of Iraq's population and have not joined the armed resistance.

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, said other members of the governing council were "pleased" with the timetable when he met them yesterday during a surprise visit to Baghdad.

Hours earlier, pro-Saddam gunmen fired two rockets at the compound where he was staying. There were no casualties and Mr Straw said he had been unaware of the attack.

[farmfriend]

bttt

[txhurl]

Iraqis Sent Letter to UN in Error, U.S. Says

WASHINGTON (Reuters)11/25/2003 The Iraqi Governing Council has told the United States a letter it delivered to the U.N. Security Council on Monday asking for a resolution on its timetable for ending the U.S. occupation was a draft version and was sent in error, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

The final version dilutes the Governing Council's request that the Security Council pass a new resolution enshrining the Iraqis' timetable for ending the U.S. occupation, said one senior U.S. official, who asked not to be identified.

"Apparently somebody dropped a draft in the mail and the final version doesn't have the same language," he said.

[Senator Goldwater]

Or what?

[txhurl]

God knows how long it will get the Iraqis to understand the significance of the election cycle.

[SubMareener]

This is good. It shows that the Shi'ite leaders are beginning to recover from the shock of being released from years of repression. The recent "refocusing" of our efforts in Iraq are having a very positive effect on the participants. Setting a date for the ship of state to sail, has reminded them that they must get on board! It is also convincing them that we mean to leave, and let them govern themselves.