**The handover of sovereignty to Iraq is being brought forward from 30 June to Monday, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has said. **
Mr Zebari was speaking after talks with the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Mr Blair said a formal announcement would be made later.
…
*Mr Zebari did not say exactly when the handover would take place, but it is expected to happen swiftly.
Asked about the move, Mr Blair told reporters: "I’m not actually in a position right at this moment to confirm that, but the important thing is to understand that the will of the whole international community now is with Iraq as it takes control of its own destiny. *
“… Iraq as it takes control of its own destiny” :rolleyes:
The only reason they did that, from my pundit's armchair perspective, is in order to prevent major bloody attacks on the 30th itself.
Pushing up the date by two days - that does not alter the reality on the ground.
[quote] "....the will of the whole international community now is with Iraq as it takes control of its own destiny."
[/quote]
It's so nice of Blair to be concerned about the "will of the whole international community". Since when did he ever give a second's concern about what the rest of the world thought.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Nadia_H: *
The only reason they did that, from my pundit's armchair perspective, is in order to prevent major bloody attacks on the 30th itself.
Pushing up the date by two days - that does not alter the reality on the ground.
[/QUOTE]
I would consider 'preventing major bloody attacks' that would slaughter untold scores of innocent Iraqis a reality on the ground that anyone should be happy with.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Nadia_H: *
The only reason they did that, from my pundit's armchair perspective, is in order to prevent major bloody attacks on the 30th itself.
[/QUOTE]
Yup, I agree with you. This was also my initial thought on the early transfer. They didn't publicize it in advance, which is a good thing.
[QUOTE] Originally posted by Seminole: *
**I would consider 'preventing major bloody attacks' that would slaughter untold scores of innocent Iraqis a reality on the ground that anyone should be happy with.
[/QUOTE]
*
From a long-term perspective, wanting to prevent major bloody attacks MIGHT also be permanently achieved by having certain Occupying Forces withdraw from the country, since the track record of the past 12+ months has hardly been reassuring.
From a long-term perspective, wanting to prevent major bloody attacks MIGHT also be permanently achieved by having certain Occupying Forces withdraw from the country, since the track record of the past 12+ months has hardly been reassuring.
[/QUOTE]
Nadia, trust me. With the 120 billion US taxpayer $ already spent, hundreds of US soldiers killed, thousands injured, hundred thousand + young Americans away from their families to help keep security in a place where they are not wanted, I want the Occupying Forces home probably more than you. I think where we differ is that I see that as a recipe for a disaster for the Iraqi people and you do not. Do you think the carnage will stop - no regional, sectarian or power grabbing violence? If I thought that there would be no no more blowing up of volunteers, politicians, pipelines and police stations and that all the people of Iraq would come together, steadfastly and peacefully, marching toward a secrue, stable and democratic nation I would be all for it. Yankee Go Home. But that would be abandoning the Iraqis. It's as though you excuse the violence that the 'resistance' is using as productive and that their extremist ways will disasppear when the US rolls out.
Thank God someone is thinking about trying to prevent major bloody attack.
For better or worse, the Iraqi interim government is by far the most representative government in the Arab world. No doubt the critics will argue that it is a puppet regime, but Brenner flew out this morning, and the future of the government is in Iraqi hands.
I find it utterly ironic that literally hundreds of innocent Iraqis were killed in bombings over the last week. Near 500 injured. Yet what we will hear about time and again is American "carpet bombing" (which did not occur), or some anti-American crap.
So we have a UN resolution, a government installed by Brahimi, a country headed towards elections, a Prime Minister who has asked for NATO help. My big question is, when will Muslim counries step up and help the Iraqi's? Amazingly it seems far more important to see American difficulties than to actaully help the people of the Ummah. Where are all of the whiners complaining about sanctions? You want to go help these people, go help them.
As with Afghanistan, elections will come. This is theoretically a break through in the Muslim world, yet it seems like the US is force feeding a bitter medicine to a sick baby. The baby needs the medicine, but will spit it back at you if it gets the chance.
What a joke did they call it a handover oh please! handover to who the iraqis give me a break, the leader of the puppet iraqi regime is former CIA employee.
As for blair and his sudden concern for the will of the international community, the guy is currently the worlds most famous liar.
And the good ol amerikkkan brigade on guppshup where would we be without there patheic remarks either they just love listening and spewing out there own governments lies or they think because they have read 3 lines of the constitution and watch CNN they think they know more than anyone else on planet earth!
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ak47: *
And the good ol amerikkkan brigade on guppshup where would we be without there patheic remarks either they just love listening and spewing out there own governments lies or they think because they have read 3 lines of the constitution and watch CNN they think they know more than anyone else on planet earth!
[/QUOTE]
No, just more than you. If you have a chance in between your amerikkkan brigade insults, kindly point out the lies in this thread.
I'll be convinced of true sovereignty when the interim govt takes complete control of defense, and orders the us contingent of more than 130,000 soldiers back home.
G*d D*mn s*ns of b*****s. Moved the #$%#@$ handover of power up two days to "prevent major bloody attacks on the 30th itself."
This is just another example of the cynical manipulation of events on the ground by the US government.
Now what am I going to do with all the popcorn I've been popping and beer that I've been chilling in anticipation of spending a full day Wednesday in front of the TV watching the bloody carnage going on in Iraq?
Say what you may, sort of puts a big crimp in the "world domination" theory. (thankfully the conspiracists among us can still rely on the "hidden hand" theory).
Now, handing back Kuwait to the Kuwaiti's, and Iraq to the Iraqi's, that would sort of put a big crimp in the "It's the Oil" crowd too.
Tell you what, assemble a security force of Muslims, and we will hand the thing over completely tomorrow!
And, by the way, the interim Iraqi government is now at least as legitimate as the one in Pakistan, and both Afghanistan and Iraq will have elections BEFORE Pakistan. Ouch...
Thank you for a balanced reply. No i don’t think everything is going to be hunky dory after the “Yankee[s] Go Home”. i have never stated that heaven is going to fall on Iraq after the Occupying Forces have left. Of course it will take time, the carnage that has started cannot be resolved so easily. You and i differ on the causes for that carnage. Where i see a legitimate resistance, albeit by means that i do NOT - i repeat, DO NOT, repeat for a third time DO NOT - condone, you see no Occupying context in the background. Same deal with Mandela’s resistance against what he perceived of as an illegitimate, oppressive, colonialist state.
Nothing will fall perfectly into place once the US and Britain roll out.
OG:
I'm not sure about your post. It sort of depends upon which theory is being advanced today. Have we installed the interim government so that we can cut and run with our tail between our legs? OR ... have we installed the interim government as a puppet to allow us to stay and continue the occupation and oil grab?
Since the interim government has the authority to ask us to remove our troops but has indicated that it will not do so, the theory today has got to be that it is a puppet being used to perpetuate our colonial occupation. When we start reducing our troop strength, the theory will change and we'll be fleeing in defeat brought about by the freedom fighting terrorist thugs.
What do you guys want? A celebration that the official transfer of power was sped up by 48 hours ? i mean, honestly - what does a paper transfer symbolize ? What would please all of us, let's release some balloons and doves and let's party all night because hey guess what, the Occupying Forces decided they didn't want their lovely symbolic historical moment on 30th of June to be overshadowed by a bloody attack. What sort of response were all of you hoping for - that i should bow down and say yippee, thank you ? There are still hundreds of thousands of Occupying Forces in the country. What has changed ? The "President" and the "PM" and everyone else in the 'government cabinet' have been handpicked. Literally handpicked. So like, excuse me if i am not dropping down to my knees and crying tears of happiness for this historical moment. i don't see any difference between those who have now assumed symbolic power in Iraq, versus those who will be really calling the shots from behind the scenes. 48 hours doesn't change the facts on the ground, folks. Wake up and smell the sheesha.
