IRAQ HANDOVER 'TODAY' (Sovereignty Transfered in surprise move!) Congratulations IRAQ!

Sky News ^ | 6/28/2004

[Southack]

Update:

IRAQ HANDOVER 'TODAY'

The handover of power in Iraq is to be brought forward to today.

A formal announcement will be made later today, Tony Blair said.

The informal announcement was made by Iraq's foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari.

The handover of power to an interim Iraqi government was supposed to take place on June 30.

Mr Zebari said the deteriorating security situation in the country was one of the reasons why the date had been brought forward.

"We will challenge these elements in Iraq, the anti-democratic elements, by even bringing the handover of sovereignty before June 30 as a sign we are ready for it," he said.

He added: "We have made some very good progress in terms of the new security council (in Iraq) and the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people to take away the level of occupation we have suffered a great deal from.

"There are many Iraqis who are standing up to the challenge. We are here to seek more help and assistance, training and equipment."

[mware]

Wow, did you hear the discussion between Steve and Major Bob???There is speculation that the Marine has been missing for some time, even mention desertion.

Major Bob said he is uncomfortable with the story he is hearing. I think he is referring to him abducted at the base.

[theophilusscribe]

Contries around the world send congrats: including France, Germany, Syria and Iran. Twilight Zone!

[HenryLeeII]

Nice move to put an end to the garbage from the terrorists. Sweeps the rug right out from under them.

Yep, never play checkers with a chess player! President Bush and his administration are some of the cagiest operators around, and I mean that only in a complimentary way.

Of course now Maureen Dowd, Joe Conason, and Molly Ivins will have to come up with some snide, ridiculous, non-factual columns about how Bush is doing this so he can "cut-and-run" in order to save his "faltering" re-election chances. But We the People know differently

[KangarooJacqui]

By the way, if I decide to do another year here, I plan on coming "down under" for one of my R&R trips.

Well, if you do, may I recommend the Gold Coast (an hour's easy drive south of Brisbane International) in the autumn? That's about April, for you Northern hemisphere types.

My late husband loved it. See here:

http://www.tomatogardener.info/PhotoGallery/Australia/Sunrise.jpg

For scenery from our balcony, available for (as at April 2002) less than US $50 per night. Right on the beachfront. Of course the Australian dollar has improved against the US dollar since then, but still... I can put you in touch with a very good Gold Coast real estate broker, friend of mine, loves America and Americans (gave me no end of ragging when I was the one to fall in love with a Yankee and move there less than nine months after 9/11... check the profile though, I'm back in Australia - for the time being - after my husband's death.)

[mware]

Countries around the world sending their congratulations to the new sovereign Iraq.

Kind of reminds me of Israel when we recognized her. Hope they don't have the same struggle Israel did.

[StarCMC]

God bless 'em.

[Timeout]

I predict Kerry announces Veep this afternoon to smother the coverage of Iraq transition.

[jwalsh07]

There is no plan in Iraq. They didn't have a plan. What is the plan? No planning for the occupation. I still haven't heard a plan from this administration.

Sarcasm or cognitive dissonance?

[Tamzee]

Didn't hear that, lost power and I just got Fox News back a minute ago...

I'm so worried about that Marine and I hope they get this figured out soon :-(

I was thinking that perhaps Zarquawi had planned a televised beheading of our Marine on June 30th... if he is a good guy then maybe this will give us more time to find him.

[theophilusscribe]

Do you think he's decided? He keeps going back and forth on it . . .

[babaloo]

With this good news maybe some of the VP candidiates will pull their names from consideration.

[TexasCajun]

"The Dick" Clark was boo-hoo'ing on Good Morning America that there wasn't a great big ceremony and how bad things still are over there.

What an asshole!

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks for the ping Howlin. Good news for sure, may God smile down on this new government and guide it forward according to His will.

Prairie

[mware]

Major Bob seems to think this transfer may change the equation. We will have to wait and see.

When the new PM spoke he said the terrorist are infidel.

[theophilusscribe]

Ya think? Maybe. But Democrats rather lose and be a footnote in history than go unnoticed at all.

[Timeout]

I'm just trying to think like they do. Nothing about how this is good for America. No concession to Bush's success.


All they're thinking about is how to get the spotlight back on them. Only thing I can think of is for them to announce the Veep pick. OTH, it would be bound to bring comments about his timing...trying to upstage Bush. If you'll forgive me, they're between Iraq and a hard place.

[The Wizard]

kerry can't do anything to stop this story

[theophilusscribe]

they're between Iraq and a hard place

LOL!

[prairiebreeze]

I read FReeper comments about the desertion theory yesterday. It was being speculated on FoxNews then. I have to agree that something just doesn't add up about the idea of him being lured out and then captured.

Prairie

[Sea2ShiningSea]

It's a great day in Iraq AND America!

INDEED!

Thanks for the ping, Howlin!