Posted on 06/02/2004 6:08:49 AM PDT by HAL9000
Bremer the 'dictator' of Iraq UN envoy
UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi on Wednesday responded to criticism of US involvement in the nomination of the new Iraqi government by stressing Washington was still the dominant force in the country.
"I would remind you the Americans are governing the country so their point of view was certainly taken into consideration," he said at a news conference.
"He has the money, ..the signature"
"I don't think he'd mind my saying this: Bremer is the dictator of Iraq. He has the money, he has the signature," said Brahimi after stressing he had been invited to choose the new cabinet at the request of the Americans and the now-disbanded Governing Council.
The final line-up was the product of haggling, notably between the US-led coalition and the council. The sides formed a working committee along with Brahimi to vet the list of contenders, the envoy said.
Representing the Governing Council in those talks were Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, Shiite and Communist party leader Hamid Majid Mussa and Sunni tribal sheikh Ghazi al-Yawar, the envoy said.
Yawar was tapped on Tuesday after a bruising competition with fellow Sunni leader Adnan Pachachi for the largely ceremonial role of the interim government's president.
"Ultimately you know that you have very, very complicated issues. What you have to do then is a compromise, with strengths and weaknesses. And the overall picture is positive .... very much positive," Brahimi said.
New executive not ideal
But he admitted that the new Iraqi executive unveiled on Tuesday was not ideal and stressed its members would have to work hard to earn legitimacy.
"None of us should forget that ultimately it is only an elected government that can legitimately claim to represent the people of Iraq," Brahimi said.
"Meanwhile the members of this government know and should not forget that they have not been elected.
"This government will therefore have its work cut out for it. It will not be easy for them to prove the sceptics wrong."
Prime minister Iyad Allawi's government will be tasked with bringing security back to the war-torn country and organising free elections next year.
"Nobody would expect the rich diversity of Iraq to be fully represented to the satisfaction of every ethnic group, every province, every religious group and every one of the several hundred political parties," Brahimi said.
Allawi had close ties with the US Central Intelligence Agency, and like many of his ministers, is a former exile with little popular support in Iraq.
"I don't think he'd mind my saying this: Bremer is the dictator of Iraq. He has the money, he has the signature," said Brahimi
Well, he aint wrong, though dictator has a lot of other negative implications that dont apply.
I wish he would have taken just a moment to enlighten us and point to any given Government that he did consider to be "ideal." His statements are one gasbag cliche after another.
Not a very judicial nor diplomatic choice of words.
His daughter, the former CNN employee, is about to marry into Jordan's royal family. Between that and Brahimi's ties to the UN, I wouldn't trust this guy any more than I would Chalabi.
Thanks a lot, Lakhdar! Poor choice of words.
His statements are one huge bit of PROPAGANDA!
Bremmer's got a tough job, and more power to him. All the power he needs to help get the job done.
When this is over, and Bremmer's had a good long vacation, what role will the Administration have for him; or if that's not in his future, what state is Bremmer from?
I would not put money on Bremer's being a Republican.
Dictators do not have to answer to anyone and typically are not appointed to their positions. Bremer was appointed to his current position, and has to answer both to the President, and elected official, and the Congress, a body of elected officials. I think it is entirely a false statement and shows that this UN envoy is a mile wide and a millimeter thick.
Brahimi a few months ago also called Israel "the greatest poison in the middle east."
He is a POS.
Brahimi is being a jerk; he knows full well that Bremer is not anything like a "dictator" even if for the time being he was extraordinary powers. He could be fired by Bush, and in any event his power will end in less than a month.
Brahimi is being a jerk; he knows full well that Bremer is not anything like a "dictator" even if for the time being he was extraordinary powers. He could be fired by Bush, and in any event his power will end in less than a month.
If you can't hit the biggest guy..hit the nearest guy?
Thank you for the info...!
Brahimi is the sole reason al Sadr is still alive, and will undoubtedly give another speech on Friday calling for violence against Americans.
If its Friday, Its Meet Sadr.
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