Pincus: U.S. Plan May Be in Flux as Iraqis Jockey for Postwar Leverage

[kskiska]

By Robin Wright and Walter Pincus

The latest plan to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq is barely two weeks old, but it already faces an array of problems that has led Iraqis and Iraq experts to question its prospects for creating a stable democratic government by July 1.

U.S. officials, meanwhile, are developing fallback options. But the Bush administration's decision to hand over the reins in seven months has limited U.S. leverage to solve problems during this delicate period, Iraq experts say. Despite his power on paper, U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer is effectively a lame duck, and everyone who disagrees with the U.S. plan knows it.

"Iraqis are now watching the calendar," said Henri Barkey, a former State Department policy planner who chairs Lehigh University's international relations department. "There's very little incentive to cooperate with the United States, because virtually every actor thinks he can get a better deal after the Americans leave."

"All of their activities are now designed to better their bargaining position for afterwards, not to help the United States now," Barkey said. "It's not necessarily because they're mean, but because the stakes are so high."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22070-2003Nov29.html

[markses]

1. But you can hang out with the DUMBASS in a bar

Doesn't it suck when everybody is smarter than your guy?

[IndianaGreen]

2. First, Bremer fires the entire 400,000 man Iraqi army

Second, Bremer announces a date certain in which the US will start its pullout.

All the Iraqis have left to do is to get armed and organized for the civil war that will follow.

I predict an extremist Shia Islamic government, hostile to the West and to Israel, will ultimately take control of Iraq as predicted by all the doomsayers that opposed this foolish military adventure.

[impeach the gop]

3. Power to the People

They will kick some assholes like they ain't never been kicked before.

Praise the HigherPowers for the humilation and agony of defeat the arrogant not so powerful super chickenhawks will SUFFER and the whole world is watching and laughing and cheering in harmony of a United World Force, not a divided bunch of fearful submissive subjects to be fucked with like they thought!!!!

If Latin American's can begin to fight the oligarchs that pushed them into poverty, by God, so can we.

We Are the world! YES!
Ding dong the prick is dead lol

[annxburns]

4. "might" be in flux?

"might" be. Jesus. They have a new f***ing plan every day and a new reason for why we went to war.

"Might" be, my a**.

[dvddrone]

5. The US what??

Plan? What plan? We ain't got no stinkin' plan!

Elizabeth