Showdown likely on Iraq presidency

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A dispute today between Iraq's Governing Council and U.S. occupation authorities over the selection of a new Iraqi president threatened to delay the appointment of a new government to take power June 30, Iraqi officials said. A council member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. governor of Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, and U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi were exerting "massive pressure" to choose former Foreign Minister Adnan Pachachi, who supports keeping foreign troops in Iraq until the security situation stabilizes.

However, the council member said most of the 22 members favored the current head of the council, civil engineer Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, who has been sharply critical of the U.S.-led occupation. Both are Sunni Arab Muslims.

Bremer and President Bush's special envoy, Robert Blackwill, attended part of a five-hour council session Sunday and urged the members not to vote on the presidency, according to one council member. The Americans threatened not to recognize the council's choice, the member said on condition of anonymity. The Coalition Provisional Authority, run by Bremer, has the final say in all policy decisions in Iraq.

Coalition spokesman Dan Senor denied the Americans were showing favoritism toward Pachachi. "We are not pressuring or urging any one candidate over another," he told reporters.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/headline/world/2599590

country. Powell says we would leave if the iraqis asked us. But we don't want to support someone who does not want the usa there.... double speak again...

We will go along with what you want but it has to be what usa wants.

Powell is flying in a semi-independent status at this time. I think he pretty much says what he wants to now. The White House literally CANNOT fire him. If is the only person with even a SHRED of credibility.

My sincere hope is that things will get SO bad and SO indefensible that Cheney AND Bush will have to resign. They would appoint Powell to finish the term until Kerry takes office.

That way a SINGLE good thing could come of the Bush presidency. A black man would be made president for a brief period of time. It would be the WRONG black man. But a black man nonetheless.

I heard it earlier, CNN or Headline News I think...

This is an another massive, I mean gargantuan, Cthulu-like massive diplomatic failure...Did I say this is ANOTHER one?

Things are going to hell and quick. The admin is in total panic mode and chaos. No one knows what the fuck they are doing and it's every man for himself.

... I'll be shocked. Honestly, the Kurds deserve their own nation. Both the Sunnis and the Shiites want to rule the other two groups. The Kurds just want to be left alone.

Duplicate, please continue discussion in this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x591181