Informed sources from the Iraqi opposition told Albawaba that 30 portfolios in the planned interim government have already been endorsed. The government, to be led by the retired US general, Jay Garner, will include technocrats and will assume responsibility after the upcoming conference, scheduled next week in the Iraqi city of al Nasiriyah, is held.
Additionally, the sources told Albawaba the names of some of the new ministers. According to the opposition, Brigadier General Tawfiq al Yaseri, who led the 1991 uprising against the toppled Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein, secretary general of the Iraqi National Coalition and spokesman for the Military Council, will be appointed as minister of interior. The Iraqi National Coalition, the sources said, would take over 16 portfolios.
General Abdel Emir al Sabah will be minister of defense while Dr. Mohammed al Jabbar will be Minster of information, the sources conveyed, adding that Dr. Adel al Sheikhali will be minister of works and housing.
| Having a "minister of information" doesn't seem like a good idea... |
Meanwhile, the Iraqi opposition sources confirmed that the name of Ahmed al Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress was not on the list. The power behind him in the Pentagon deserted him, the sources said. The US has chosen 40 Iraqi politicians from the opposition inside and outside Iraq to participate in the conference to be held next week. The conference is said to discuss the political future of the country and perhaps will be delayed for several days, should the security situation be unfavorable, sources added.
Earlier, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress accused the US of laxity in bolstering security and alleviating human suffering in south Iraq. In an interview with CNN, Chalabi asked why Garner, who will run Iraq, has not begun restoring security, water and electricity in Iraq.
| Maybe he doesn't have any resources to do it with yet. Why hasn't Chalabi done it? Or the Iraqi National Congress? |
For its part, the Higher Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq led by Ayatollah Mohammed Baqer al Hakim said it would boycott al Nasiriyyah meeting due to the American presence in the city. An official from the Council told Albawaba that his group would not participate in a cabinet led by an American and that they would never be part of an American project.
| They much prefer being irrelevant or, at the most, thorns in the side of the gummint. |
|