Iraqi Opposition Leader Impatient With US

Ananova ^ | 4-9-2003 | AP

[blam]

Iraqi opposition leader impatient with US

An Iraqi opposition leader is urging the US-led interim administration to stop working on plans to run the country and move quickly into Iraq.

With an eye on taking power after a transition, several prominent Iraqis are planning a meeting of political factions on Saturday in Nasiriyah to lay the foundations of what could become a provisional government.

The rapid collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime is leaving Iraq with a power vacuum filled only by the US and British military.

An interim administration led by retired US General Jay Garner plans to co-ordinate humanitarian assistance, rebuild infrastructure shattered by years of war and economic sanctions and start the process toward a democratic government.

While Garner's office celebrated the arrival of 55,000 tons of Australian wheat today in the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr, concrete details of how he will assert his authority - and the role of the Iraqi opposition in the future administration - remained elusive.

Ahmad Chalabi, leader of the exile Iraqi National Congress, was mobbed in Nasiriyah by thousands of people cheering the collapse of Saddam's government.

Chalabi told CNN that Garner's group - which has been gradually moving out of the Hilton Resort in Kuwait City into southern Iraq - needed to get inside quickly and help restore law and order and bring humanitarian aid to suffering people.

"Where is General Garner now?" Chalabi said. "The US troops have defeated Saddam militarily. That was never a problem.

"The issue is the Baath party and the remnants of the Baath party who will continue to pose a threat. And those people will continue to have some influence as long as there is no electricity, no security and no water."

In Washington, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Garner's whereabouts were unimportant and that his team is working on rebuilding the country, helping to bring in aid and restore electricity in the southern province of Basra.

"The United States is not going to stay in that country and occupy it," Rumsfeld said.

© Associated Press

Story filed: 22:07 Wednesday 9th April 2003

[Pearls Before Swine]

Ingrate. Clearly a case of backing the wrong puppet.

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[AmericaUnited]

This guy is pissing me off.

[Centurion2000]

With an eye on taking power after a transition, several prominent Iraqis are planning a meeting of political factions on Saturday in Nasiriyah to lay the foundations of what could become a provisional government.

These are EXACTLY the people we DON'T want 'taking' power in Iraq.

[Mister Magoo]

Did any of you guys see him on 60 Minutes? Chalabi comes across as a wuss and sleazy, if that's possible. And he has a weird, effeminate walk. Look, this guy might be the greatest freedom fighter in world history, but gives off a weird and creepy vibe.

[goldstategop]

Of course he's impatient. Impatient to get on with the business of constructing a free Iraq. I would be too, if I were in his shoes.

[MinuteGal]

This guy is really getting off on the right foot, right?

He comes from a wealthy Iraqi family, has been out of Iraq for about a decade, I believe, and is under investigation for something by some country somewhere.

I instinctively don't like his looks or demeanor. Reminds me of Mussolini in a subtle way.

Leni

[Nick Danger]

Of course he's impatient. Impatient to get on with the business of constructing a free Iraq. I would be too, if I were in his shoes.

Then he should pull a Yeltsin. He should climb up on the tank, tell everybody that he's in charge, and see what happens. This is what Iraq needs right now.

People are looking for somebody like this to emerge. Any one of 'em who thinks he has to wait for General Garner to hand him the keys, is not the guy we need. No one appointed by a U.S. General is ever going to have legitimacy.

As a practical matter the US/UK/AUS militaries are going to have to be behind the scenes making the trains run for a short while, but the sooner they can stop doing that, the better.

There needs to be an Iraqi face on this New Iraqi Order, and it can't be anyone picked by the infidels. Yeah, the Iraqis are throwing flowers at us today, but within a month they'll resent having us around. As they should.

We don't have time to run the country while some big election machinery is set up. That can come, but in the meantime there needs to be a popular figure to rally people. The first guy who can duplicate Yeltsin's feat -- stand up after a total government collapse and say "I'm in charge!" and not get shot or have people laugh -- wins the first term in the palace. Then we just need to stay around long enough to make sure he pulls Yeltsin's second act: stepping down without any shots having to be fired.

[goldstategop]

Agreed. If its not one of the exiles, it will someone who lived through the dictatorship in Iraq. We'll find out soon enough the identity of Iraq's "Yeltsin."

[JimSEA]

Chalabi seems anxious to pick up where Saddam left off. I have read that he left Iraq as a child in 1958 -- If so, why are we dealing with him?

[alethia]

I've heard that the people of Iraq (many who have lived through the "Saddam Years") don't want Chalabi. They want someone who's lived through what they have. I agree with you -- I believe that there are one or two "Yeltsins" that will rise to the top soon. They should be a bit more stable too, particularly if they don't drink the way Boris did...

[goldstategop]

He seems committed to democratic values. We aren't trying to install him by force; we're letting him make the case to the Iraqi people. If they want another person to be their leader I'm sure he won't object. Considering a lot of people have been exiled from Iraq, it does seem fair to allow them to reach the hearts and minds of their countrymen and while I suspect they won't lead an Iraqi government, they can still make a constructive contribution to building a free Iraq.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Ingrate. Clearly a case of backing the wrong puppet.

Well, considering how Slick Willie hung him out to dry in 1995, I can understand his agitation.

[goldstategop]

To be fair, opposition movements had no freedom to organize and sink roots in Iraq under a totalitarian regime. Now they have the opportunity to spread throughout the country. In the end the Iraqi people, not us, will choose their own leaders, but where Chalabi comes in is to help his countrymen decide how they want to achieve their dreams of a free Iraq and in a free society, there is not going to be universal agreement on how to make it happen. So I think creating a space for diverse views to flourish in Iraq after the collapse of the dictatorship is a very good thing indeed.

[alethia]

I hear and agree with you regarding the free flow of ideas and diversity, etc. I have an issue with Chalabi becoming "impatient" -- heck, we haven't even finished securing Baghdad yet.

I also believe, from my research, that Mr. Chalabi believes he's "the one"...whereas, the Iraqi people may have quite a different idea. I'm sure that the Shi'ite Ayatollah coming back from Iran after a 20 year exile -- and with his own army to boot -- thinks he's the one. It's essential to create a secure environment for the government creation debate. Otherwise, someone is going to grab power -- and what would have been the point?

We're back to your point of having an appropriate forum for those diverse ideas to flow...Having General Garner there to set up infrastructure, etc., while creating the opportunity for the Iraqi people to see potential leaders is quite a good idea.