Iraqis set timetable for power transfer Saturday, November 15, 2003 Posted: 10:12 AM EST (1512 GMT) BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq will have a new transitional government with full sovereign powers by the end of June 2004, the Iraqi Governing Council said today, and will have a constitution and a permanent, democratically elected government by the end of 2005. The statement followed a meeting with the U.S.-backed coalition's civilian administrator L. Paul Bremer, who recently met with President Bush. He returned to Baghdad with new proposals for the council aimed at speeding up the transfer of authority to Iraqis. The U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority will dissolve at that time, council authorities said in Saturday's news conference, and "the state of occupation will end." The council did not, however, discuss the Bush administration's insistence that any transfer of power include arrangements for a continued U.S. and international military presence. Many members of the Iraqi Governing Council -- as well as some leaders of the U.S. Congress -- have said they want the U.S. military to leave as soon as possible, but the White House said Friday that U.S. troops would remain in Iraq until former President Saddam Hussein is killed or captured. The timetable calls for having a full constitution and a permanent government in place by June 2005, council member Ahmed Chalabi told reporters. The constitution, council authorities said, will be drafted by a council "directly elected by the people." The coalition-backed Governing Council and the cabinet ministers it appointed will remain in place until the new government takes over by the end of June. The council members said first they will draft a law by the end of February that will include provisions for selecting the transitional council. That law also would provide for setting up a "democratic, federal, pluralistic united system of government" that respects the Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people as well as the country's various religious sects, the council said. "This law will embody the principles that find general consensus among the Iraqi people ... respect for human rights and respect for basic political freedoms, including freedom of religion and the practice of religion and the equality of all citizens," said council member Ahmed Chalabi, reading from a statement prepared by the council. The new law will maintain a separation of the executive, judicial and legislative systems, civilian control of military and security forces, as well as some degree of autonomy for the Kurdish people in northern Iraq. The announcement comes as attacks on coalition soldiers continue. One U.S. soldier was killed and two others wounded early Saturday when their two-vehicle military convoy hit a roadside bomb in northern Baghdad, a coalition spokesperson said Saturday. The death brings to 45 the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq this month alone. A total of 405 U.S. forces have died since the start of the war in March. No reliable source compiles numbers of Iraqis killed in the war, although The Associated Press reported an estimated 3,240 civilian Iraqi deaths between March 20 and April 20. The AP cautioned that the number came from only half of Iraq's hospitals. The homemade bomb detonated in Baghdad's Ad Hamiah district at about 8:30 a.m., 1st Armored Division spokesman Lt. Col. Gary Bishop said. The soldiers were bringing papers to a coalition base near the Shaheed monument, which honors Iraqi war heroes. It's the third deadly roadside bomb attack on U.S. troops in as many days. A U.S. soldier was killed and two wounded Friday morning when their Humvee struck a roadside bomb while they were on patrol in Baghdad. Thursday, two U.S. soldiers were killed and three were wounded when their convoy was hit by a roadside bomb north of Samarra, a 4th ID spokesman said. Saturday's casualties come on the fourth day of the coalition's Operation Iron Hammer's offensive in Baghdad against Saddam loyalists and other insurgents. In addition, the 4th Infantry Division has launched Operation Ivy Cyclone north of Baghdad, and the 82nd Airborne Division's Task Force All-American is operating to the west. President Bush reiterated Friday that his strategy in Iraq is working. "We're going to stay the course," Bush said in Washington, repeating his commitment to keep troops in Iraq "until the job is done." Seven Iraqis killed in attack North of Tikrit, U.S. Army teams struck a rocket launch site that threatened a Task Force Iron Horse base, a spokesman said Friday. Lt. Col. Bill MacDonald said seven Iraqi insurgents were killed and another wounded as troops uncovered hundreds of missiles. MacDonald said an AH-64 Apache helicopter first attacked the site Thursday evening after observing the operations. A patrol sent to secure the site found three destroyed vehicles, including a flatbed truck carrying 50 missiles, MacDonald said. A further search of the area turned up two bunkers filled with just under 1,000 BM-21 missiles that could be fired from a multiple rocket launcher, MacDonald said. The wounded insurgent was treated, and the bodies of the seven dead were taken to an Iraqi police station so of next of kin could be contacted. Other developments ⢠The former leader of the Ba'ath Party in Karbala organized and funded the recent rocket attacks on the al-Rashid Hotel October 27 and the U.S. Army Chinook helicopter on November 2 , U.S. defense source said Friday. Detained Iraqi fighters under interrogation, and other intelligence, implicated Khamis Sirhan Al-Muhammadi, No. 54 on the U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqis, the defense source said. Efforts are under way to find him. Sixteen U.S. soldiers were killed when the helicopter was shot down near Fallujah. ⢠The bodies of the 18 Italians killed in Wednesday's suicide bombing in Iraq are being flown home this weekend as Italy prepares for an official day of mourning. Nine Iraqis also died in the attack. About 20 Italian service members injured in the Nasiriya attack are to arrive home Friday. (Full story) ⢠U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Saturday said Washington will wait for Japan to assess Iraq's security before sending noncombat troops. Japan delayed deployment after this week's attack on Italian troops. "Each sovereign nation needs to think through precisely what makes the most sense from their standpoint and then engage in a way that they feel is appropriate," Rumsfeld said after meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo. (Full story)
If the underlying motive is what you say it is, then my way is the only way. They are a defeated country. What they want is irrelevant. They will never love us. I can live with that. If they continue to kill our troops, they must be made to understand that a terrible price will be paid. What's so hard to understand about that? The other alternatives are to turn tail and run, leaving Saddam to emerge from hiding as an inspiration for thugs everywhere, or ocntinue the present policy of allowing US soldiers to serve as targets. Sorry, those are the alternatives. We have to choose one.
Gee, why wasn't this thought of before we invaded and started our occupation? I guess it's because the Bush Administration SEVERELY MISCALCULATED the actual sentiment of the IRAQI people not too mention the region! Sure, I have no doubt that their are many Iraqi's that support our invasion of their country, and a chance to be freed from the evil dictatorship of Hussein. There are indeed some success stories, especially in the North. Yet, for Bush to now tell everyone in the region that they need to EMBRACE DEMOCRACY and that success in Iraq will be measured in terms of whether or not a DEMOCRACY rises up is in my mind, raising the bar to a level that is not realistic, nor was it really planned for. Moreover, the American public continues to see the Bush Administration sweep the messy parts of war into " a far corner of our Nation's attic". No television cameras allowed at Dover, no Presidential appearances at the funerals of soldiers who have given their lives for this war on terrorism. The ultimate "cleansing" and spin on WAR is being executed every single day by our administration, that now finds themselves dealing with a HUGE MISCALCULATION! This is not about the "blame-game". This is about a failed plan with terrible miscalculations, the PROSTITUTING OF THE CIA, and the selling of an invasion to the American public. What a shame.
Your way is the only way? How open minded. We must blast them into submission and our brand of capitalism, democracy, our God and country mentality, or we should abandon them? Is it possible that you suffer from all or nothing, black and white thinking?
You are kidding, right? More American soldiers have died already in Iraq during the seven month period since the war started than in Vietnam during the first seven months. That's not a success to me and more casualties are obviously only a matter of time. The US may lose fewer soldiers than it did in Vietnam (58,000), but the cost is still going to be high.
The region? How about the so-called world, or at least the rest of it, that is, excluding the US? The rest of the world was vehemently opposed to it, not only the region. Even the closest of the US allies. This war is the most moronic war in the US history and there is no way the future generations will think about it otherwise.
You're an idiot. Ironically Moslem's don't eat pork, but you Bung, Nolan-Vinnie-Sam, Waggie, jbtrader23 spend a lot of time chowing down Islamic dick sandwiches. Coming soon to a mosque near you.
ooooh it exceeds 50%. as if that has anything to do with the right decision. is it always right to buy a stock when 50% of people or more think it's going up? no. this poll sucks.
Maybe you will like this poll a bit better..... ONE IN THREE BRITONS THINK BUSH IS STUPID - POLL Sat Nov 15 2003 19:43:02 ET The full extent of the low regard Britons have for George Bush was tonight revealed in a poll. The US President was branded a threat to world peace by a clear majority, 60%, of those questioned by YouGov. More than one in three, 37%, said Mr Bush was "stupid" while 33% called him "incoherent". Only a minority saw positive characteristics in Mr Bush, with just 7% regarding him as a good world leader, 6% as articulate and 10% as intelligent. The findings are published in The Sunday Times ahead of his state visit to Britain next week, the first by a US leader. A slim majority of those questioned opposed the visit by 26% to 21% although half did not care. There was sympathy with anti-war campaigners who plan a series of protests to mark the visit with a majority of 53% to 41% supporting the demonstrations. The antipathy toward Mr Bush is matched by an increasingly gloomy view of Iraq. For the first time a majority said Britain and America were wrong to go to war with Iraq by 45% to 43%. The question has been asked repeatedly since March and when US troops entered Baghdad in April voters were in favour of the war by 66% to 29%. Now almost three-quarters, 73%, expected the security situation to get worse over the next few months. Only 15% believed that things would get better in Iraq with just 18% saying the country's future would be as a peaceful democracy. An overwhelming 70% thought there was little hope for the people of Iraq and that it would be a permanently unstable country. Despite this, there is not a clamour to bring Britain's troops home. One in five, 20%, said UK forces in Iraq should be withdrawn immediately and 26% said they should return home within six months whatever the security situation. However, 47% believed Britain had a duty to retain forces there. There was little faith in the President's ability to handle the continuing problems in Iraq. Fewer than a quarter, 24%, had confidence in Mr Bush on Iraq, while 74% did not. Prime Minister Tony Blair fares only slightly better with 38% expressing confidence in him compared with 59% who did not. There was also scepticism about the "special relationship" between Britain and the US. Only a third, 34%, thought the relationship should continue as at present with Britain remaining America's closest ally. A larger proportion, 47%, said that Britain should continue as one of America's allies but be ready to pursue a more independent line. Some went further, with 14% saying Britain should no longer regard America as a close ally and should pursue its own interests irrespective of what Washington thinks. YouGov surveyed a representative sample of 1,934 adults, online, on Thursday and Friday, November 13-14.
I posted it first! http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24575 Gordy dag up Mareen's nick for rebattle on your thread ahahahaha He didn't reply on the blast UK suggestion tho..... hmmmm