US Plan in Iraq to Shift Control Hits Major Snag

[kskiska]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 26 — The American plan to turn over power in Iraq more quickly was thrown into disarray on Wednesday when the country's most powerful cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, made public his opposition to a proposal for indirect elections.

"All of us are groping around right now," an administration official said in Washington, acknowledging that the plan worked out earlier this month by the Iraqi Governing Council and L. Paul Bremer III, the American administrator of Iraq, would have to be revised.

Spokesmen for Ayatollah Sistani, who exercises strong influence over Iraq's majority Shiites, said he insisted that the election, planned for June, be a direct ballot and not the caucus-style vote called for in the American plan. He also insists that the new Iraqi government have a more overtly Islamic character.

(snip)

Both American and Iraqi officials have said they believe the real motivation for insisting on direct elections is that the clerics hope the nation's Shiite majority will empower religious leaders to form an Islamic government, an idea the United States opposes.

Mr. Hakim himself said one of Ayatollah Sistani's objections was that "there is no emphasis on the role of Islam and the identity of the Muslim people."

(snip)

Ahmad Chalabi, another council member, said: "The whole thing was set up so President Bush could come to the airport in October for a ceremony to congratulate the new Iraqi government. When you work backwards from that, you understand the dates the Americans were insisting on." American officials deny that electoral concerns played a role in their planning.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2003/11/27/international/middleeast/27IRAQ.html

[Maple]

1. Come to the airport in October

for great photo ops of Bush 'turning over' the govt to Iraqis.

How very convenient.

[BootinUp]

3. What will he wear?

I think fashion sense is so important at Presidential photo ops.

}(

[kskiska]

6. They're designing the backdrop already.

Iraq Iraq Iraq Iraq Iraq Iraq Iraq

Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom

Bush/Cheney 2004 Bush/Cheney 2004 Bush/Cheney 2004

[0007]

7. Maybe junior can come as "Lawrence of Arabia"

I think fashion sense is so important at Presidential photo ops.

[psychopomp]

18. I think LoA was a highly conflicted character

He didn't give a damn about the colonial Empire. By the end of the film, you couldn't be sure he was for the Arab cause either. This is confusion typical of war. It is confusion.

[NickB79]

12. I hear kevlar is all the rage in Iraq this year

Throw in a kevlar codpiece just to be safe.

[ClintonTyree]

13. That chickenshit...................

would never set foot in Iraq, are you kidding? President "run and hide" would do it via sattelite, with every network breaking in for this "historic moment". Looks like Chimpie's illusions of grandeur are derailed for the time being. Rove must be going apeshit that this isn't turning out as planned.

[Gloria]

2. Thjey should have seen this coming.....this cleric has long been known

for his stance against indirect elections. He was laying low, waiting to see what would unfold, acting "neutral" but always waiting in the wings.

The Iraqi Council is something like 60% Shiite. For a long time it was accused of "dragging its heels" but an article I posted a week or so ago from ATimes Online said that the Council had boxed the US in until they had to seek a way out...And, now, the cleric has spoken out publicly...

This should be interesting.

[mhr]

4. What Did Bush Say About Secular Democracy?

So if a secular democracy is not formed, does that mean our sons and daughters are fighting for a bogus cause?

No flames, just following the logic trail here.

[SharonAnn]

11. How come we don't get a Secular Democracy?

I don't want a Fundamentalist Theocracy government. Does that mean I'll have to move to Iran?

[slaveplanet]

21. Hey

you weren't supposed to dredge the memory hole....

[caledesi]

5. The Iraqis don't want to be stripped of their culture. Get it?

[Melinda]

8. Whoa, what's up with Chalabi?

Not exactly lapdog-like............ :wtf:

[janx]

20. My thoughts exactly, Melinda. Maybe things aren't going

his way after all.

But then, the administration's releationship with Chalabi probably went south after the bogus intel allegations, no?

[bvar22]

9. Dream On!

The smirking chimp* was too scared to go out in public in London....and this coward is gonna go to Iraq????


That's the problem with democracy....the first thing those ungrateful Iraqis would vote on would be to throw bush* out!

Better get those Diebolds installed PDQ!

[hedda_foil]

10. When you're so incompetent ....

That your paid whore gives away your October surprise a year in advance ... how incompetent is that? REAL INCOMPETENT!

[Guaranteed]

14. Sistani knows that he's got us in a tough spot.

Bush wants to get out by June so he'll get re-elected. So, Sistani isn't even going to negotiate with him. He's going to demand everything he could possibly want.

Ummm...yeah, Rove's a genius.

[hadrons]

15. All of us are groping around right now," an administration official said

I guess Arnold's now involved

[leftchick]

16. Badda- Bing!

LoL! :)

[leftchick]

17. The Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani

is a pretty formidable figure....

[tabasco]

19. The future of a country scheduled around a Bush photo-op.

I don't know if I can become more cynical. These times seem truly insane.

[goforit]

22. Ah hah...........An re-election strateegery !!!!

Has anyone realized that the Iranian shiites are offering
a more legitimate election than you know who?

Now this is another voting scam publically in the making.
LOL!!!

Hmmmm.......Another October surprise that may backfire.