Some Iraqi Leaders Now Balk at Giving U.N. a Big Role

[tobius]

NYTimes.com > International > Middle East
By DEXTER FILKINS
Published: March 15, 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 14 — In a surprising turnabout, several Iraqi leaders are balking at allowing the United Nations to return to the country to help it prepare for the return of sovereignty on June 30.

Several members of the Iraqi Governing Council, which clamored for United Nations help on elections weeks ago, now say they are reluctant to give the organization a big role either in helping to prepare the Iraqi government to stand on its own or in readying the country for nationwide elections — to take place as early as December.

Those council members, whose skepticism about the United Nations dates from the time of Saddam Hussein, said they had been disappointed by the failure of a team of United Nations experts who visited the country recently to help schedule early elections. <snip> http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/15/international/middleeast/15COUN.html

The suspicion with which the United Nations is regarded by many Iraqis dates from the time of Mr. Hussein, when the organization enforced the global economic sanctions on the government and presided over such unpopular programs as inspections for unconventional weapons.

Some Iraqi leaders said that antipathy toward the United Nations was reinforced when the team of experts, led by Mr. Brahimi, concluded that elections were not possible before June 30, and that Shiite leaders directed some rancor at Mr. Brahimi personally.

[leftchick]

1. let's see what the supreme puppet chalabi has to say....

<But some Iraqi leaders continued to express deep skepticism about whether the United Nations should be allowed to return to take a role in Iraq. Intifad Qanbar, a spokesman for Ahmed Chalabi, a member of the council, said that while the United Nations might have a role in the country, it ought to be strictly limited.

"There is a track record that shows the U.N. is not efficient in these things," Mr. Qanbar said. "We cannot have anyone overseeing or managing this Iraqi process from outside Iraq.">

[lazarus]

2. This is hilarious

"There is a track record that shows the U.N. is not efficient in these things," Mr. Qanbar said"

Let's see, what's Katherine Harris up to these days? Can we possibly spare her from the House?

[priller]

3. Sistani has what he wants, no need for UN to muck it up

The Ayatollah Sistani, who Bremer and the rest of the gang of idiots has been courting as the key to Iraq's "democratic" future (?!?!?), now has majority rule enshrined in the new constitution. And since he is the leader of the Shia marjority, his rulership is assured. So the UN can kiss off, as far as he is concerned. This is the reason for the sudden questioning of the UN's "efficiency" and other nonsense.

[daleo]

4. Given the suffering caused by sanctions,

One can't blame Iraqis for being somewhat leery of the U.N., irrespective of the various goals of the political factions in play. I suppose nothing substantial will happen until Iraq and the rest of the world know whether Bushco can manage to steal another election.