White House Rethinks Rejected Iraq Advice

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3380686,00.html


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Some U.S. lawmakers complained Wednesday that
they have been barely consulted about Bush's
plans for putting Iraqis in charge, and don't like
being left in the dark. Newly minted Eastern
European allies lodged the same complaint as they
cried foul over their business interests getting
sidelined on lucrative reconstruction work in favor
of U.S. companies.

The demands of France, Germany and Russia for a
quick U.S. handoff to the Iraqis went unheeded -
until it became a condition for a second U.N.
resolution that Bush needed to lend credibility to
the Iraqi occupation. This week, the French took
great delight in the cover article on a U.S. political
journal that proclaimed, ``The French Were
Right.''

``It is a policy in need of a major overhaul, and
they don't listen to the people who've talked to
them,'' said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., a member
of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Some experts say the best way for Bush to fix the
problem is to focus on key pieces of early advice:
Placate allies' concerns. Respect the choices
made by the Iraqi people. Turn control over to the
United Nations.



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