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| Iraq |
| Blair says US military should control post-Saddam Iraq |
| 2003-03-27 |
| Tony Blair lined up staunchly behind George Bush last night in agreeing that the United States military should administer a post-Saddam Iraq before handing the country over to the United Nations. At a working dinner at the US President's Camp David retreat, the British Prime Minister backed Washington's plans to install General Jay Garner as civil governor for the country in the short term. Mr Blair and Mr Bush agreed that a new UN Security Council resolution would be needed to authorise an interim UN administration and release funds for reconstruction – but only after the military situation stabilised. What funds? Reconstruction funds can come from the oil; and if there's no new UN resolution, why the Iraqi Interim Authority and military governor will have to see to it that the money is spent properly. The talks came amid growing controversy over the extent to which the UN should be involved in Iraq even during the conflict and, more importantly, once the fighting is over. The current lack of consensus with France and Russia also meant that Britain and the US were in no mood to go "rushing" back to the UN, the Prime Minister told reporters. Sometime in 2005 would be fine. Before he flew to Washington, Mr Blair said in the House of Commons that the interim arrangements for Iraq had to be robust enough to ensure that American and British troops "did not give their lives in vain". Downing Street said that a new UN resolution for reconstruction was less of a priority than a resolution giving Kofi Annan, the secretary general, powers to run Iraq's £6.35bn-a-year oil-for-food programme. No, no, no! Kofi can't feed a parking meter properly let alone run the programme. The secretary general is anxious to Fine, no resolution, have it your way. We'll manage. Some members of the Bush administration would prefer there to be no UN involvement in Iraq once the conflict is over and are keen that the French and Russians do not benefit from lucrative civil contracts. However, Mr Blair insisted yesterday that the President himself was committed to a UN administration at some point. "It is very clear that we should make sure that any post-conflict Iraqi administration has the full endorsement of the UN. It actually releases funds. It allows the international financial institutions to operate in a better and more effective way," Mr Blair told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions. Master politican, can actually talk about a "better and more effective" international institution without guffawing. "American and British soldiers have put their lives on the line, and in some cases given their lives, for the liberation of Iraq and the disarmament of Saddam Hussein," he added. "We will obviously have to discuss the details of how we make the handover to civil administration in Iraq because it is important both to protect our own troops and make sure, frankly, that they did not give their lives in vain." Hear hear! |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #10 Coalition forces are already in control of two of the world's deepest oil pools. These sources alone could support the civilizing process in Iraq. If use of smart-bombs on stupid people is only resulting in more atrocity propaganda - a al Marc Herold - then I would squash the RG divisions and an entry route to Baghdad, with massive B-52 attacks. Take any possibility of heroism away from the Fedayen savages, and their war capacity is gonzo. One cannot occupy Iraq while 60,000 of these wild animals lurch behind windows. |
| Posted by: Anonon 2003-03-27 19:50:03 |
| #9 Keep the UN out of Iraq and Iraq out of the UN (along with the rest of us who are willing to do a job without a bloated expense account with no accountability). |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-03-27 13:02:05 |
| #8 The "anti-war" nations of France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, and to some degree, China, should be forced to buy their oil from Iraq for ten years, and 10% over the market price. This will go a long way toward absolving them from their perfidity in the current situation. The United Nations is a turkey - overstuffed and overdone. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-03-27 10:11:51 |
| #7 iiuc there is a substantial balance now in the oil-for-food account, that the UN controls - thats the money being referred to. I think Kofi wants it released - his agenda is keeping the UN relevant - the French and Russians are opposed - since their agenda puts opposing the legitimacy of Op Iraqi Freedom above saving the UN. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-03-27 09:52:27 |
| #6 Kofi realizes the U.N. is forever reduced to an aid organization. |
| Posted by: WhoMe? 2003-03-27 07:38:42 |
| #5 fear that approving the resolution would confer some legitimacy on the US-UK armed attacks. Ha! Flogging a dead horse doesn't help you move forward. Let the UN weenies keep their limos, suites and credit cards. Give them lots of crayons and tell them how important they are. Paying for the babysitter will allow the grown-ups to get their work done without having to deal with screaming babies all day long. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-27 07:36:36 |
| #4 Thank GOD for the Brits (and their aussie cousins)! The are (almost) always on the right side of history and humanity. Parliament, slavery, humane treatment of animals, Hitler and now Sadaam. Thanks guys! We need you in this one! Thanks for being there, front and center, once again. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-27 06:42:07 |
| #3 Dominique the U.N.,Dominique the Russians,double Dominique the French(hold the KY please). |
| Posted by: raptor 2003-03-27 06:27:35 |
| #2 "It is very clear that we should make sure that any post-conflict Iraqi administration has the full endorsement of the UN. It actually releases funds. It allows the international financial institutions to operate in a better and more effective way," Doesn't sound like he was describing the UN actually DOING the work.. only releasing the funds. |
| Posted by: Dishman 2003-03-27 02:04:18 |
| #1 Giving any administrative power to the United League of Nations would be an unmitigated disaster because it would put in place a socialist/bureaucratic system instead of bringing a federal republic and prosperity to Iraq along the lines of what was done in Germany and Japan post-WW II. Keep the UN out of Iraq, and return the oil-for-food billions that Kofi is sitting on to the Iraqi people! |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2003-03-27 01:38:59 |