[John Doe]

It looks as if the Coalition intends on beginning to create an interrum government starting next week. I would imagine that it will not be long before such a government certifies ambassadors and tries to send them out. Moreso than how individual countries handle such a development, I am interested how the UN fight will shake out.

If I recall right, there was talk over a week ago of the Arab League calling for a UN General Assembly meeting to condemn the war. As far as I know that meeting and debate was never held (I may be wrong, but I can't find any information about that meeting ever being held). My assumption is that when they counted heads, they couldn't get enough votes to support such a resolution so they're still toiling away trying to build consensus before calling such a vote.

Considering that, what do you guys think is going to happen when the Coalition tries to oust Saddam's Ambassador with their own?

[sokath]

My question about the interim gov't, is if it's headed up by a retired US General, who does that general take orders from? The president obviously... so wouldn't that just make Iraq a colony of the United States? I'm just confused on the whole issue.

And on a more administrative note, if you could include a source for all your news (ie. a URL) in the future, that'd be great! Thanks.

S./

[Boondock Saint]

Well ...

An interim gov't is just something that is needed ... toppling Saddam will leave a massive power vaccum ...

Law and order and basic services need to be taken care of immediatly ... so a police state run by the US/UK forces will exist for a time ... hopefully though those 'freedom fighters' that the US is arming in the south can do the actual policing with US supervision ... perhaps that will make the interim gov't feel a little less like occupation ...

Eventually once the basic services and general restoration of infrastructure have gotten well under way some sort of elections can be held ... naturally some time needs to pass while candidates start popping up and so on ...

I suppose about a year of occupation by an interim gov't will be neccessary ... then a US peace keeping force for a decade or so ... by then Iraq should be on its feet with a military and police force and infrastructure capable of taking care of itself.

Of course, thats just what I hope.

[Tovarish Spetsnaz]

Don't hope too much...those forces the US is "supporting" in the South...are pro-Iranian forces. Those Kurds the US is "supporting" in the North...are pro-Iranian, pro-Syrian and anti-Turkish forces.

The US will gut them out just as soon as it is done with Saddam...

Don't be fooled by imperialism...the US sold them out before becasue it did not want them to take power in Iraq...they will do so again!!

This interim government will be made up of royalists and such who feld Iraq back in the 50s...and who now live in the US. No Iraqis will accept them as their rulers...It will be a dictatoship just as much as Saddam Hussein was. Not to mention that this bunch of scumbags who will rule Iraq...have already declared that they will end the "government's monopoly on oil"!!! Hmm...I wondered what would happen with that oil...but now I guess we know it will go to US and British oil companies...to "end"...the monopoly.

Imprialist bastards...

[Boondock Saint]

Well tovarish ... once again you have shed light on things for me ...

I suppose what the concept of ending the gov't monopoly on the oil could mean is to allow private industry to take over ... so the oil is in the hands of *gasp* the people ... and not the gov't ...

We shall find out where the kurd loyalties lie and the 'freedom fighters' in the south. We will find out what happens within Iraq soon enough ... as for the interim gov't ... its something that has to take place ... cant just topple Saddam and then say 'later' ... that would be counter-productive.

[CasX]

My question about the interim gov't, is if it's headed up by a retired US General, who does that general take orders from? The president obviously... so wouldn't that just make Iraq a colony of the United States? I'm just confused on the whole issue.

Exactly. The UN must run Iraq after the war, or the worst fears of many people will be realised. It will show the US really has conquered Iraq, and are seeking commercial gain out of the whole business.

Not to say this wouldn't happen under a UN administration, but it sure would be a lot harder.

The US running Iraq makes Iraq a US colony, doesn't it?

[Proctor]

Actually its looking pretty optimistic at the moment. Bush and Rumsfeld have said they will stay as long as the Iraqi people want them to, and will leave as soon as it is asked. So I must say I have been pleasantly surprised.

[Adrien]

That's easy to say, but how will we know that the Iraqis want them to leave?

If the decision is supposed to come from the iraqi part of the new administration, the US will certainly manipulate it to stay until they want to leave.

If the decision is supposed to be expressed by the Iraqi themselves, through demonstrations and all, well the americans will just have to show us one demonstration in favor of their occupation, and the world will probably forget the others.

[CasX]

Actually its looking pretty optimistic at the moment. Bush and Rumsfeld have said they will stay as long as the Iraqi people want them to, and will leave as soon as it is asked. So I must say I have been pleasantly surprised.

What did you expect them to say? "We're going to overstay our welcome"?

[Proctor]

All right, all right. Watch the news tonight, it will probably show Bush's speech to the Iraqi people (with arabic subtitles I might add), and make up your own mind.

[Adrien]

Didn't Tony Blair also make a speech with arab sub-titles?

It is a little stupid to do these speeches right now, as all the inhabitants of Bagdad (and more generally all the Iraqis) are in the streets and as there is no power, no electricity, no tv.

[Boondock Saint]

Yea Blair and Bush both made speaches with Arabic subtitles.

Dont know how useful they will be, the people will be better influenced by what is going on in teh street and their own homes.

Telling them one thing and doing it are two very different things.

[Proctor]

Yeah, but telling them is a good sign that they will do it. Of course this hasn't always been the case *cough* bay of pigs *cough*, but still.