In a surprise move, the US handed over sovereignty to Iraq two days before the previously announced date of June 30th!
The US has formally handed over power in Iraq, two days ahead of schedule.
In a low-key ceremony in Baghdad, US administrator Paul Bremer gave legal documents to an Iraqi judge at 1026 local time (0626 GMT).
Iraq’s interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who also took part in the ceremony in the heavily-guarded Green Zone, said it was “a historic day”.
CONGRATULATIONS IRAQ!
Now let’s see if those bastards stop their killings and beheadings. Now they don’t have a shred of an excuse to continue their reign of terror.
Comments
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Except the US is not running the show. The Iraqi Government has sovereignty, and elections will happen next January.
The terrorists will still play their game, but fortunately things are on schedule, and hopefully it’ll get more and more difficult for them.
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Leaving Iraq without any military presence would be downright stupid at this stage. I disagree that things haven’t changed just by Bremer leaving. I think the Iraqis are beginning to believe they have their destiny in their own hands……know that’s going to upset a whole lot of people, but isn’t that what the peoples of the ME have been wanting forever. Everybody should be jumping for joy for the Iraqis.
M
Re: US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
“Now let’s see if those bastards stop their killings and beheadings. Now they don’t have a shred of an excuse to continue their reign of terror.”
They don’t need an excuse, all they know is death and killing.
Steve
Re(1): US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
I did not make this post above. An imposter is making a phony post in my name.
Steve
Re: US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
[quote]Except the US is not running the show. The Iraqi Government has sovereignty, and elections will happen next January. [/quote]
You really believe that US is NOT running the show? Of course they are, just be publicly handing over the reins to the Iraqis means nothing! Do you seriously think that the Iraqi people see their new government as not been made by the US? Of course we will see the usual US propaganda, they will publicly disagree with the new government and vice versa, so that we ‘think’ the new government is independant…. nope it doesnt wash with me I am afraid.
Re(1): US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
The transfer of sovereignty is a nominal exercise. The US still maintains a military presence not accountable to the infant Iraqi government. This is a necessary first step. You can’t just dump the whole load of self-government into the Iraqis lap all at once. They need protection to get their bureaucracy, courts, and such working.
We haven’t reached the peak of the violence yet. The period between now and the retreat of the bulk of US forces will see more attacks. When security is handled mainly by Iraqis, the homegrown attacks may tail off to insignificance. However, the attacks will increase somewhat by foreign jihadis seeking to stop a democracy, blasphemous in their view, from growing. Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia will continue to fund and staff the resistence to democracy.
Steve
Re: US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
The Iraqi government has nominal sovereignty, not actual sovereignty. Expect more attacks through the elections, especially targeting candidates and their staffs.
Steve
Why should you register and login…
that’s why when you register and log in, you OWN your comments and can edit them to your heart’s content, and always will display your login name and a link to your profile. so go ahead and do it!
for the silent and anonymous visitors, please consider registering, even under a pseudonym if you can’t for some reason use your real name. My view of this is that the more “real names” we have, the more support I will perceive and our opponents will see that us “liberals” do have a voice and are not so silent!
but don’t feel forced to do it though, do it if you are ready and in your own time. about the only thing you get (at the moment) upon registering is ownership if comments.
[Modified by: Mahmood Al-Yousif (mahmood) on June 28, 2004 07:34 PM]
Re(2): US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Do
you seriously think that the Iraqi people see their new government as not been made by the US? —
Have you spoken to Iraqis?
Do you read Iraq the Model, post at BBCI where Iraqis post to get their opinions?
We’re still in Germany, Japan and South Korea, are they puppet governments?
And if the Iraqi gov’t was “made” by the US – why would we have pushed a European model by having a parliament? It doesn’t exactly work.
Sandy P.
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Great idea.
I wish we’d have done this before — like maybe two weeks ago — instead of waiting until June 28th.
Some lives have been saved; I wish more had been spared.
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This just in on CNN (5:10 a.m.): Iraqi sovereignty handover completed this morning, two days early. Ambassador Bremer says he’s proud and happy . . . Iraqi government wanted transfer moved to today Iraqi P.M. says "We’re capable of
Re: Why should you register and login…
OK, OK, OK, Mahmood. I was happy being a big lazy lump but you have pummeled me into action. I am now a registered member of Mahmood’s Den. I will pause here to allow the applause to die down. This time the registration went smooth as silk. Why it didn’t work last time, who knows? If all works well, you should be able to click on the link to my blog to see the view through the lens of my America.
Steve
[Modified by: Steve The American (Steve) on June 28, 2004 05:41 PM]
Re(1): Why should you register and login…
Hmmm. Let’s see if my link shows up in this post.
Re(2): Why should you register and login…
Another test.
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Hmm … I can’t see much change happening, surely most people will see the new government as an American lackey? And since the US will still be there running the show then not much has changed.
I wish I thought it would all get better now but I am pretty pessimistic on the chances of that happening!
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Let’s check in on the Angry Arab, I’m sure he has some positive things to say about this step forward in Iraq:
[i]What a mess and a sad joke in Iraq. Even the “transfer” of authority was out of control of US. US feared an explosion of explosions in Iraq on that day, a “carnival of blood” as Lebanese editor Talal Salman wrote today (and he is opposed to Wahhabi terrorism and to US occupation). Are we supposed to celebrate that a car bomber and former Saddam’s assassin is appointed as puppet prime minister? Aside from car bombers, who will greet such bloody appointment?[/i]
— James
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
James,
Well, I “think” As’ad does condone the resistance thing on any grounds, so it is inconsistent that he would then dump on anyone resisting Saddam. He does not condone the beheadings, and he did warn some posters who were regularly issuing death threats to other posters; so maybe there’s hope for him yet. Or it could be that he is using his college email and probably didn’t want any PR problems with being an accomplice to murder or something silly like that. Anyway, I find him to be a pretty interesting guy, really funny sense of humor, but alittle too much in dreamland.
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
After all was said and done w/the Declaration of Independence, a woman asked Ben Franklin what were they doing in there?
Giving you a country, madam, if you can keep it.
We gave them a country – it’s up to them to keep it. It’ll take a couple of generations, the elders have to die out. But the kids…..they get it. Besides, if they really want to an islamic government, they should look to the failures of Iran, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. Economic disaster.
Sandy P
But if they do, let me guess, just like socialism, it’ll be different this time, the others did it wrong.
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
James is now officially registered. And yes, I’m American, but I didn’t call myself ‘James the American’ because I figure my ignorance, Islamo-phobia and lack of a dry sense of humor must surely come across in every post anyway 😉
— James
Re: US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
James ..
You downplay your virtues sire .. you forget the inability to handle complicated politics, the incredibly short attention attention span, and the compulsive need to label everyone as either goodies or baddies .. 😉
Jasra Jedi
Re(1): US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
But everyone IS either a goody or a baddy! Wait a second, what color is your burkha? You do wear one, right? You’re one of them Saracen chicks?
Re: US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
You are so right. It’s been HOURS since the changeover and STILL NOTHING HAS IMPROVED!
We should just give up.
Somebody call Saddam and tell him to get his resume ready for an interview for his old job back. Remind him he needs three references. Maybe Jacques Chirac, Gerhard Schroeder, and Bashar al-Assad. And for Pete’s sake tell him to get rid of the uniform and wear a suit and tie.
Steve
Re: US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
As I understand it, the fundamentalists don’t have the votes in Iraq. The Iraqis have gotten a close look at theocracy in Iran and want no part of it. They are fond of their freedom and their beer. Iraq was one of the original places where man first brewed beer.
Steve
Re: US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Quite so. The US military is the shell of the Iraqi egg now being incubated.
The transfer of government to Iraqis and coming elections will be a shock for ordinary Iraqis. They will have less and less leisure to bitch about how the Americans aren’t doing this or that right. More and more they will have to accept responsibility for their own country. They haven’t been responsible for their own fate for a long, long time. It won’t be comfortable for them at first.
Steve
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
I heard a new phrase the other day .. democratic militant. meaning the fundies that are going to voted into power.
god help iraq .. and god help what the current government will do in iraq to stabilize the country .. the imposition of martial law, the defense minister spoke about beheading and cutting off hands … same regime, different name…
JJ
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Sandy P. – this is for you, straight form Iraq the Model
It’s a great day for all the freedom lovers. No doubt is left now that we’re winning while the forces of darkness and evil are losing a key round in this war.
With great delight we received th news. this is the right and important step to build the free Iraq and
It’s a painful strike for terrorism and its allies.
They really missed this surprising and brilliant timing. And I guess they’re deeply shocked right now.
their luck couldn’t help them to scar this glorious day with a crime of theirs.
Most Iraqis met this news with happiness and hope about the new government’s performance and who walks in a Baghdad now can feel relaxation in the atmosphere.
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Sandy P. my bad. I read your post wrong.
Re: US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
Just to be picky, Sandy. It was after the Constitution was written and he is said to have said “A republic, madam, if you can keep it”
I also am happy for the Iraqi people on this occasion. It’s really up to them what they do with it. This happened in record time. It was ten years before Germany got sovereignty returned. Longer if you consider, as some seem to, reunification as being the final return of German sovereignty. Japan took 7 years.
The U.S. took five years after the Revolutionary War ended to get the Constitution in force after a bad start with the Articles of Confederation.
I hope the Iraqis do better or at least as well considering the opposition they face, open and covert. I wish them the very best. They have the tools available, it’s up to them what they do with them.
US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
New just reading started reading this web site the other day.Great things are floating around here.
Just wanted to hit the notes on Iraq freedom. I’m glad to see things are going in the right direction for them.But in the same instance watch for the ones who want your wealth they strick when you are the weakest.I feel best of luck you’ll make it.
Some Dumb American
Re(1): US hands over sovereignty in Iraq
[quote]James .. You downplay your virtues sire .. you forget the inability to handle complicated politics, the incredibly short attention attention span, and the compulsive need to label everyone as either goodies or baddies .. [/quote]
Don’t sugarcoat it, Jasra. Just tell him like it is.
Steve